Baklava
- Make syrup: In medium saucepan combine ¾ cup sugar and ¾ cup water.
- Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar; add honey, cinnamon stick and lemon and orange slices.
- Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
- Strain; cool. Should measure 2.5 cups.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Remove pastry leaves from package. In small bowl, mix pecans, sugar, ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Place 2 pastry leaves in a 15.5" by 10.5" by 1" jelly-roll pan; brush top leaf with some of melted butter.
- Continue stacking leaves, 14 in all, and buttering every other leaf (keep rest covered with damp towels to prevent drying).
- Sprinkle with third of nut mixture and sweet potatoes.
- Add 6 more leaves, brush every other one with butter.
- Sprinkle with third nut mixture and sweet potatoes.
- Layer 6 more leaves, brushing every other one with butter.
- Sprinkle with the last third of nut mixture.
- Stack remaining pastry leaves on top, brushing every other one with remaining melted butter and buttering top pastry leaf.
- Trim edges, if necessary.
- With sharp knife, cut through top layer on long side; make 8 diagonal cuts at 1.5 inch intervals.
- Then starting at one corner, make 9 cuts, on diagonal ant 1.5 inch intervals, to form diamonds. (Cut through top layer only, do not cut through layers).
- Bake 60 minutes, or until golden and puffy.
- Turn off heat. Leave in oven 60 minutes; remove.
- Pour cooled syrup over hot baklava.
- Following diamond pattern, cut all the way through baklava.
- Cool in pan to absorb syrup - on wire rack.
- Makes 35 pieces.