Advieh Baklava

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Butter the sides and bottom of a 9" Springform pan and then melt the remaining butter.

In a medium bowl combine the chopped nuts with 1 teaspoon of the Advieh and set aside.

To begin building the baklava, unroll the phyllo dough and cut the stack of sheets in half. Immediately cover it with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out. Return the damp cloth to the phyllo in between each use.

Place two sheets of dough on the bottom of the pan, trimming corners as needed, and brush with melted butter. repeat 4 times until you have 8 sheets laid as a base with butter between every two layers.

Add a thin layer of nuts, followed by 2 sheets of phyllo dough topped with butter. Repeat the layers until the baklava is built nearly to the top of the pan.

To finish, add a final 8 sheets of phyllo to the top, brushing butter between every 2 sheets.

Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into the pattern of your choice, making sure to score all the way to the bottom of the dish.

Bake 45-50 minutes until the baklava is golden on top.

While the baklava is baking, make the syrup. Combine sugar and water in a heavy bottomed pan and heat until the sugar is melted. Add the honey and remaining teaspoon of Advieh. Simmer over very low heat for 10-15 minutes.

As soon as the baklava comes out of the oven, drizzle with the syrup. Allow to cool completely before serving. 

Notes:

You can substitute your favorite nuts for the ones we chose, and switch up the spices! Cinnamon works well by itself or try Ras el Hanout for another exotic sweet-savory flavor.