1-First Step: Make the sugar syrup Start with the syrup because it needs time to cool completely before it meets the hot baklava. In a saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, water, glucose syrup if using, lemon squeeze, and salt. Bring everything to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves. Once the mixture is clear and combined, remove it from the heat and stir in the orange blossom water. Set the syrup aside and let it cool to room temperature. This step matters more than people think. Hot syrup on hot baklava can make the pastry soft instead of crisp, so patience pays off here.

2-Second Step: Prep the pan and oven Preheat your oven to 150°C or 300°F. Brush a 13 by 9 inch baking pan with melted ghee or clarified butter. This first coating keeps the pastry from sticking and helps the bottom layer turn golden and crisp. If you are making clarified butter from scratch, melt unsalted butter over medium-low heat until the milk solids separate. Skim the foam, pour off the clear butterfat, and discard the solids. You should end up with clean, rich fat that works beautifully in baklava.

3-Third Step: Prepare the pistachios and phyllo Pulse the shelled, raw unsalted pistachios in a food processor until they are finely chopped. You want small pieces, not a paste. That texture gives the dessert a proper nutty bite without making the layers heavy. Next, trim the phyllo sheets so they fit your pan if needed. Keep the unused sheets covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel so they do not dry out. Phyllo can turn brittle fast, so work with one sheet at a time and keep the rest protected.

4-Fourth Step: Build the base layers Lay down 8 sheets of phyllo for the base, brushing each sheet with ghee or clarified butter before adding the next. Use a gentle touch, but do not be shy about coating the layers. This is what gives the baklava its rich flavor and flaky structure. After the first 8 sheets, add 1 cup of the chopped pistachios. Spread them evenly so each slice gets a good nutty center.

5-Fifth Step: Continue layering the nuts and pastry Add 6 more phyllo sheets, brushing each one with ghee. Then add another 1 cup of pistachios. Repeat with 6 more phyllo sheets and the final 1 cup of pistachios. Finish with the top layer of 10 phyllo sheets, brushing each one as you go. As you stack, press gently to remove air pockets. That little step helps the pastry bake into even, clean layers instead of puffing unevenly.

6-Sixth Step: Cut the baklava before baking Use a sharp knife to cut the baklava into diamond shapes. Do this before baking so the syrup can travel through the cuts later. After cutting, brush the top with the remaining ghee or clarified butter.

7-Seventh Step: Bake low and slow Bake the pan for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, or until the top is golden and crisp. Rotate the pan halfway through baking so the color stays even. Low heat is important here because it lets the pastry crisp slowly without scorching the top before the inside is done. The finished color should be deep golden, not pale. That deeper color gives you the best crunch and a richer flavor.

8-Eighth Step: Syrup the hot baklava Once the baklava comes out of the oven, immediately pour the cooled syrup over the hot pastry. Pour it along the cuts and over the top so it can seep into every layer. Garnish with extra ground pistachios while the surface is still warm. This hot-baklava, cool-syrup method is what helps create the crisp texture people love. It sounds simple, but it really changes the final result.

9-Ninth Step: Rest before serving Set the pan on a wire rack and let it cool for 3 hours. Then cover it and let it rest for at least 8 hours, or even overnight. This resting time allows the syrup to spread evenly and the flavor to settle in. The yield is about 40 pieces, which makes this a great dessert for gatherings, holidays, or a weekend baking project when you want a tray of something impressive.