Cinnamon Walnut Baklava

I hope to catch a break and post more pictures and a recipe soon... it's yummy! MIL is here helping stage the house to sell right now...

OK I lied, I am tired and need to get to bed, so no more pictures of this goodness. HOWEVER the recipe can be found here at Martha Stewart Living. MIL helped me make them they are rich and yummy! Below is my adapted version.

Cinnamon Walnut Baklava

• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) butter, melted, plus more for pan
• 3 1/2 cups sugar (brown sugar is yummy also!)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 cups walnuts
• 2-3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 package (16 ounces) frozen phyllo dough (17-by-12 inches), thawed in refrigerator

Directions

Prepare the ingredients-

1.  Heat the oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Lightly grease a 9x13inch pan with some butter.
3.  Heat 3 cups sugar, lemon juice, and 1 1/2 cups water. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar is dissolved and it's a little thick. Like maple syrup. This will take about 10 minutes.
4. Chop the walnuts and stir in the cinnamon and remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. You can use a food processor also.
5. Trim the phyllo dough with a sharp knife into a 9x13 inch rectangle.

To assemble-

1. Use one sheet of phyllo at a time, keeping the others covered so they don't dry out. 
2. Place one sheet of dough in the bottom of the 9x13 pan. Brush gently with butter so that the sheet doesn't tear. Repeat with two more sheets of phyllo. Brushing each gently with butter.
3. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of walnut filling on top of the phyllo in the 9x13 pan.
4. Continue assembly. At this time you will be alternating one sheet of phyllo to a layer of walnuts. Add a sheet of phyllo to the pan, brush with butter, sprinkle with walnut filling, and repeat.
5. End the stack with a sheet of phyllo dough. Butter generously with remaining butter.
6. Cut the unbaked baklava into squares. Use a sharp knife.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden.Remove from the oven.
8.  Pour the syrup over the baklava and let it soak in all that goodness. Leave it on the counter.

*If you tear the phyllo sheets, don't worry about it, just lay it on top of the walnut filling and patch with the torn piece. You can't tell it's torn once it has been baked. Just reserve the torn pieces to use in the center. Save whole sheets to use as the bottom "crust" and the top.