Easy Baklava 

Syrup:
1 cup turbine/raw sugar
1 cup honey or maple syrup*
1 cup filtered water
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Filling:
2 cups walnuts, finely chopped but not pulverized
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar
1 to 1 1/2 cup vegan earth balance “butter”, melted
2 boxes of Puff Pastry Dough (EASY) or 24 sheets Fillo dough (Harder)

Prepare the syrup: Mix all the sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer vigorously until thickened and reduced this takes about 14 minutes.
Allow syrup to cool to room temperature until ready to use. The syrup should remain pourable, if it thickens too much, simply warm up by placing in a glass jar and put the jar in hot water, stirring occasionally until it is pourable again.

Prepare the filling: In a bowl, mix together the walnuts, cinnamon, and sugar. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Assemble the baklava

Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch deep baking dish with some of the vegan butter.

Puff Pastry Dough instructions: EASY
Cover the bottom of the greased 9x13 dish with one layer of puff pastry dough. Brush pastry sheet with melted vegan butter. Cover evenly with a third of the filling.
Place another sheet of puff pastry dough. Brush pastry sheet with vegan butter. Cover evenly with third of the filling.
Place another sheet of puff pastry dough. Brush pastry sheet with vegan butter. Cover evenly with third of the filling.
Cover with last puff pastry dough sheet. Brush pastry sheet with vegan butter.

Fillo dough instructions: HARDER
Place 2 sheets fillo dough in the bottom of the dish and brush the top with vegan butter. Add another 2 sheets, brushing the top with vegan butter, and then another layer, brushing the top with vegan butter, repeat until you have a stack 6 sheets high. Spread one-third of the filling evenly over the fillo. Layer.
Repeat the same process with the fillo dough until you have another stack of 6 sheets done the same way.
Spread another third of the filling over it.
Repeat the same process for the fillo dough until you have another stack of 6 sheets done the same way.
Spread with the final third of the filling, so that you finish with three nut layers.
Top the final nut layer with the remaining set of 6 fillo sheets, vegan buttering every other one as above. Finally, brush the top layer of fillo with vegan butter.

Bake Prep:
Using a very sharp knife, carefully cut through all the layers down to the bottom of the dish, making 16 to 18 diamond shaped cuts or 1 1/2-inch square sections.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Take out and pour the remaining vegan butter across the top and continue baking until pale golden and crispy, about 25 minutes.

Remove, place on cooling rack for 5 minutes until it is no longer bubbling.
While still warm, using oven mitts, angle the pan and pour off the excess vegan butter.
Pour the room temperature syrup carefully in between the cuts and around the edges of the segments. Be sure to avoid the top of each segment or it will get soggy. Allow to cool at room temperature until completely cool.

Serve, lift out the pieces starting with a corner piece. You may need to cut again, where you scored to remove easier. May be served right away or cover and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.