Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a baking dish with a little bit of melted butter. In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped nuts and ground cinnamon. Set aside.

2. Unroll the phyllo dough and cover it with a slightly damp kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out. Take one sheet of phyllo dough and place it in the greased baking dish, brush it with melted butter using a pastry brush. Repeat this step with another sheet of phyllo dough, placing it on top of the first sheet and brushing it with melted butter.

3. Sprinkle a thin, even layer of the nut mixture over the phyllo dough.Continue layering phyllo dough and the nut mixture, brushing each layer with melted butter, until you have used up all the nut mixture. End with a final layer of phyllo dough on top, brushing it with melted butter as well.
4. Using a sharp knife, carefully score the top layers of the baklava into diamond or square shapes. This will help when cutting the baklava later.
5. Bake the baklava in the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until it turns golden brown and crisp.
6. While the baklava is baking, prepare the syrup. In a small saucepan, combine the water, rice malt syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and let it cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
7. Once the baklava is out of the oven, immediately pour the cooled syrup evenly over the hot baklava, allowing it to soak in. Make sure to pour the syrup in between the scored lines as well.
8. Allow the baklava to cool completely and soak in the syrup for a few hours or overnight before serving.
9. Now all that’s left is to enjoy! Kalí óreksi!