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1
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
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2
Melt butter (start with 2 sticks - you can always melt another stick if needed) and crisco together.
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3
Coat the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 baking pan completely.
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4
Layer phyllo dough for bottom crust: Lay down 1 sheet of phyllo and completely brush with melted butter.
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5
Continue until you have 6 buttered sheets of phyllo.
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6
Mix the nuts, sugar and cinnamon together.
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7
Sprinkle some of this mixture over your bottom crust.
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8
Then lay down 2 layers of phyllo, one at a time - each sheet needs buttering.
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9
Sprinkle another coating of your nut mixture.
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10
Continue alternating with 2 layers of buttered phyllo and a sprinkling of the nut mixture.
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11
(Make sure you have at least 6 sheets of phyllo dough left for your top crust.
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12
).
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13
Lay your 6 phyllo sheets, 1 buttered at a time, to create your top crust.
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14
Use remainder of butter over top of crust.
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15
(If you didn't have enough butter, you could melt more.
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16
).
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17
Score pieces diagonally.
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18
Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, or whenever browned.
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19
Turn oven down to 350 degrees F. and cover baklava with foil.
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20
Continue baking for another 30 minutes.
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21
Meanwhile make your syrup:.
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22
Boil sugar and water together.
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23
Add honey, lemon juice and brandy.
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24
Turn to low heat, stirring, until the mixture thickens.
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25
This should take approximately 10 minutes.
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26
Let cool.
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27
When baklava is done cooking, pour the cooled syrup all over the top, while the baklava is still hot.
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28
Cool the baklava and finish cutting.
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29
Keep in a cool place.
