Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and place rack in center. Drain mandarin oranges; reserve 1 cup syrup. Measure 2 cups well-drained mandarin oranges and chop.
   
2. Combine sugar, honey, syrup, orange juice, cinnamon stick, orange zest, cloves and cardamom in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 10 minutes, or until syrup is slightly thickened. Remove cinnamon sticks and orange zest; set syrup aside to cool.
   
3. Combine nuts and cinnamon, in medium mixing bowl.
   
4. Melt butter over low heat in small saucepan. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat a 13x9-inch or 15x10-inch baking dish with some of the melted butter. Open package of thawed phyllo and lay the thin sheets on a clean work surface. Use a sharp knife to cut the phyllo sheets approximately the same size as your baking dish; discard scraps. Cover sheets with a piece plastic wrap and damp kitchen towel.
   
5. Place 1 sheet of phyllo in bottom of the buttered baking dish, lightly brush with melted butter. Repeat step with 6 more sheets of phyllo. Measure about 1/2 cup oranges and 3/4 cup nut mixture; spread the oranges and nut mixture over buttered phyllo sheets. Repeat process of buttering and layering 7 sheets phyllo, and top with 1/2 cup oranges and 3/4 cup nut mixture. Continue these steps until all sheets, oranges, and nuts have been used.
   
6. Using a sharp knife, make 4 cuts lengthwise through phyllo, then cut diagonally across the strips to form approximately 36 diamond-shaped pieces of baklava.
   
7. Bake 40 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove from oven; allow to cool on wire rack 5 minutes. Using a ladle, slowly drizzle the cooled syrup over warm baklava. Allow to stand several hours before serving.