Almond Baklava (Baklavas Me Amygdala)

Directions

1. Blanch then chop the almonds. Mix them with the sugar and cinnamon. Brush a medium size baking pan with melted butter.
2. Lay 4 baklava phyllo leaves in the pan, buttering each beforehand. Lay more phyllo on top, this time without buttering them. Sprinkle with minced almonds. Lay in another layer of phyllo, this time burshing with butter.
3. Sprinkle with almonds. Continue laying in phyllo leaves and crushed almonds in the same way, till only five phyllo leaves remain. Brush these last phyllo leaves very well with butter and lay on the top.
4. Cut away any phyllo ends overlapping the sides of the pan with a sharp knife. With the same knife, cut through the top phyllo leaves, scoring serving size squares in the baklava. Dip your fingers in a dish of water andsprinkle the top layer of phyllo leaves. Put the baklava in a moderate oven to bake for almost one hour.
5. Meanwhile, boil the sugar in the water for five min. Add in the honey and spices and boil for five min more. Remove the spices and keep the syrup warm. Take the baklava from the oven and let it cold. Pour the syrup over the baklava.
6. After it cools, cut the baklava completely through and serve the pcs on a platter.
7. NOTES : 1. For Walnut Baklava: 1. Replace almonds with walnuts. 2. Syrup uses 3 1/2 c. sugar and 1 1/2 c. honey. 2. The baklava can also be made with half walnuts and half almonds.