Cyser Baklava - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Syrup
3 cups sugar
2 cups hard alcoholic cider (or Cyser)
1 star anise (use 1 cinnamon stick if you don't have anise)
1 lemon, juice of (to taste, I usually add more)
2 -3 tablespoons honey
Baklava
1 lb walnuts (may mix with almonds or pecans)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 lb phyllo dough
1 lb butter (melted and clarified if you prefer)
whole cloves

Preparation

Syrup:
Use a heavy saucepan and dissolve the sugar in the cyser over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add lemon juice.
When all the sugar has dissolved, reduce heat to a gentle boil. Do not stir often.
Add honey once the syrup thickens. If you use a candy thermometer (I never have) it should register 230\u00b0F A drop of syrup on a cold plate will not spread.
It takes about 20-25 minutes. Set aside to cool (but not to get cold).
Baklava:
Preheat oven to 325 f.
Finely chop the nuts. You want them as close to a meal as you can. I use the blender or food processor.
Combine with sugar and spices. (Not the whole cloves).
Place 6 phyllo sheets in a well buttered 13x9 inch baking pan. I think glass works best. Butter the top sheet generously.
Sprinkle a thin layer of the nut mixture over the phyllo. You want it even and no dough showing, but not thicker than about 1/8 inch.
Cover with 4 more phyllo sheets and generously butter the top sheet.
Continue alternating nut mixture and phyllo until you run out of nuts. Top with 8 phyllo sheets and generously butter the top.
If your sheets are too big for the pan, you may trim them or fold them over.
Score into squares or diamonds. Place a whole clove in the center of each slice. Pieces are traditionally quite small as it is a very sweet dessert.
Bake for 30 minutes, then lower the oven to 300 and bake for another 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Pour the warm syrup over the hot baklava. Let stand several hours, at least.
Freezes well.