Last March I went to my recipe box to get out my baklava recipe, and it wasn't there. I couldn't believe it. Jean Rarig, a teaching friend, made baklava for some holiday occasion back in the 60s. It was so good! We all got her recipe and soon every gal in our social group was making baklava for the holidays—and we had to drive twenty miles to a specialty store to get the phyllo dough.

To find the recipe, I sent out a "help!" email to the group, who are now scattered.
Jane said she had pieces of her copy of the recipe, but didn't think she could assemble the whole recipe. Jodee sent me a baklava recipe she found in her recipe box, but didn't know if it was Jean's, or one she got from her student teacher. So I published that recipe. You can find it under Baklava.

This summer, Marianne came through. She found Jean's recipe! It is different from the baklava recipe Jodee gave me, so hers must have been from her student teacher. Finally, then, here it is. Our historic recipe for baklava.

Jean's Baklava

PART 1
Mix together:
1 lb crushed walnuts
3/4 c sugar
1 tsp allspice
2 T cinnamon

PART 2
1 lb of melted butter
a package of phyllo dough
a 9x13 baking pan
1. Lay sheets of phyllo dough in the pan alternately with melted butter.
2. Every six layers add a layer of the dry walnut mix.
3. When dough is used up, pour any remaining butter over the top.
4. Cut into diamond shapes.

Bake 1 hour at 300°

PART 3 (while the baklava is baking)
1 c sugar
1 and 1/2 c water
1 c honey
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ground cloves
1. Boil sugar and water for 10 minutes.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat for five minutes.
3. Pour over the baklava.
4. Return to oven and bake at 400° for 5 to 10 minutes.