Best Greek Baklava Dessert Recipe

This is the best baklava recipe that I have tried. Of course, it has been passed down to me by my mother, but it is one I want to share.

Ingredients for pastry:
1 pound phyllo pastry sheets
2 cups unsalted butter, melted (1 lb.)
1 pound blanched almonds, finely chopped
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
8x14x2 baking pan, and pastry brush

Ingredients for Syrup (see below):
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup honey
2 cups water
Juice of 1/2 lemon plus the rind

To make the pastry, combine almonds, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Place 8 sheets of phyllo pastry sheets, one at a time, in the bottom of 8x14x2 pan, brushing each sheet with melted butter before putting in pan. Sprinkle top sheet generously with some of the nut mixture and add 2 more buttered phyllo sheets on top. Sprinkle again with some of nut mixture. Continue adding buttered phyllo sheets, sprinkling every second sheet with nut mixture until all nut mixture is gone. Place remaining phyllo sheets on top, buttering each sheet. With a sharp knife, cut baklava into small diamond shaped pieces. Place a pan of water on the lowest shelf in a preheated 300 degree oven.
Bake baklava on middle shelf of oven for 3 hours, making sure that the water pan is always full. Remove from oven and pour cool syrup over pastry. This should make about 30-36 servings.

Syrup:
In a saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup honey, 2 cups water, juice of 1/2 lemon, and the squeezed lemon rind. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 20 minutes. Remove lemon rind and cool. Remember, you will need to pour cool syrup over hot pastry.

This takes a little time and effort, but this is the most famous greek pastry, and you will want to know how to make it for special occasions. In Greece, such pastries are not really considered desserts. Fruit usually is served at the end of the meal, but coffee with a sweet pastry such as baklava is served to increase the appetite.