Blanch then chop the almonds. Mix them with the sugar and cinnamon. Brush a medium size baking pan with melted butter.

Lay 4 baklava phyllo leaves in the pan, buttering each beforehand. Lay more phyllo on top, this time without buttering them. Sprinkle with chopped almonds. Lay in another layer of phyllo, this time burshing with butter. Sprinkle with almonds. Continue laying in phyllo leaves and crushed almonds in the same way, until only five phyllo leaves remain. Brush these last phyllo leaves very well with butter and lay on the top.

Cut away any phyllo ends overlapping the sides of the pan with a sharp knife. With the same knife, cut through the top phyllo leaves, scoring serving size squares in the baklava. Dip your fingers in a dish of water andsprinkle the top layer of phyllo leaves. Put the baklava in a moderate oven to bake for almost one hour.

Meanwhile, boil the sugar in the water for five minutes. Add the honey and spices and boil for five minutes more. Remove the spices and keep the syrup hot. Take the baklava from the oven and let it cool. Pour the syrup over the baklava.

After it cools, cut the baklava completely through and serve the pieces on a platter.

uses 3 1/2 cups sugar and 1 1/2 cups honey. 2. The baklava can also be made with half walnuts and half almonds.