Floral-Scented Baklava

Scented syrup

 * 1½ cups light unbleached sugar or white beet sugar
 * ¾ cup water
 * 2 tbsp rose water, orange blossom water, or regular water with 1 or 2 drops lavender essential oil blended in
 * 1 lb phyllo pastry, cut in half to make 9x13" sheets
 * 1 cup margarine (Earth Balance), melted

Filling

 * 4 cups chopped walnuts (you can also use hazelnuts)
 * ½ cup light unbleached sugar or white beet sugar
 * 2 tbsp floral water as above

Scented syrup

 * 1) Boil the water and sugar together for 2 minutes.
 * 2) Add the floral water.
 * 3) Cool a bit, then refrigerate.

Filling

 * 1) Grind the walnuts, sugar and floral water together in a food processor until it’s almost paste-like.
 * 2) Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Assemble the baklava

 * 1) Brush a 9x13" baking pan with the melted margarine.
 * 2) Place a sheet of phyllo pastry in the pan, brush with margarine and continue this till you have used up half the phyllo pastry and half the margarine.
 * 3) Distribute the filling evenly over the top.
 * 4) Layer the rest of the phyllo pastry and margarine, brushing the top with margarine (you should have just enough margarine)
 * 5) Cut 1"-wide long strips, right through to the bottom of the pan, and then cut on the diagonal to make diamond shapes.
 * 6) Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300°F and bake about 10 minutes more, or til golden brown and puffy.
 * 7) Re-cut the pieces you have already cut, then pour the syrup over the whole thing.
 * 8) It will look like it’s sitting in a pool of syrup, but it gets absorbed.
 * 9) Let it cool on a rack at room temperature for several hours before serving.