Toast the nuts (and sesame seeds) separately in a skillet, being careful not to burn them, to remove all moisture—this helps the middle layers bake properly. In a food processor, pulse the sesame seeds until coarsely ground (not powdered), chop the pistachios into small pieces, and chop the almonds into slightly larger pieces for texture.

Mix the chopped nuts thoroughly with the Smyrna spice mix.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and bring it to a boil to remove most of the water, which would otherwise prevent the middle layers from baking and make them soggy when the syrup is added. You can substitute one package of cow’s butter with sheep’s butter for extra aroma, but boil it a bit longer since it contains more moisture.

As shown in the photo, the baking pan is quite large (about 13 x 17 x 2.5 inches / 34 x 44 x 6 cm) to fit almost a whole sheet of phyllo. I had it custom-made just for this baklava. For smaller pans, you can make a smaller batch.

Brush the inside of the pan with butter and lay down the first 5 sheets of phyllo, brushing each one with butter. Continue layering, brushing each sheet with butter, and sprinkle 1–2 tablespoons of the nut filling evenly over each sheet. Reserve the 4 nicest sheets for the top layer, laying them on without filling. To make sure the filling lasts for all the layers, divide both the filling and the phyllo sheets in half and portion accordingly.

Cut the baklava into pieces in your preferred shape (squares, triangles, or diamonds) using a knife. Make sure to cut all the way through to the bottom of the pan so the pieces separate easily and bake evenly.

Before baking, cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake at 300°F (150°C) for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 50 minutes. Finally, increase the oven to 355°F (180°C) and bake for 30 more minutes, or until the top layers are a light golden brown. Total baking time is 2 hours.

Fifteen minutes before baking is done, prepare the syrup. In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon peel.

Turn the heat to high (set electric stoves to maximum). Stir to dissolve the sugar and boil for 5 minutes. Skim off any foam that forms. After 5 minutes, add the corn syrup and boil for 1 more minute. The syrup is ready.

Remove the baklava from the oven and, while it’s still hot, pour the hot syrup over it with a ladle. Both the baklava and syrup must be hot so it sizzles—if it doesn’t, it means it wasn’t baked properly. This keeps the baklava crisp.

Let the baklava cool uncovered (or covered with a mesh food cover) for a day so it absorbs the syrup and cools completely. It’s now ready to serve. Enjoy and share—it makes a large batch, so it’s perfect for sharing!