For the past few years, I’ve seen, tasted and tinkered with Baklava Cheesecake. The concept is simple: create a lovechild when cheesecake and baklava collide. I love cheesecake, being Greek I love baklava, so cobining these desserts into one is a fantastic idea.
There are many ways to approach this dessert idea and I’ve settled on this one: phyllo pastry acting as the base followed by a nut/cinnamon mixture. The middle is your classic cream cheese filling and the top is more crumbled nuts and Greek honey. It’s not a cheap dessert but it’s a good dessert, more wholesome if you will with the use of honey rather than syrup (as is traditionally used for baklava).
Some notes about the recipe:
- Don’t compromise on honey, use a quality honey (Greek of course)
- You can choose the nut mixture you like – I chose pistachios for the topping as it is more colourful
- The addition of corn starch will deter your cheesecake from cracking, same for leaving the cake in the oven after the heat has been turned off
I loved this dessert and it was a joy to share with family and friends, both of which raved about its taste and presentation.
Baklava Cheesecake
Course: Dessert10-12
servings30
minutes40
minutesIngredients
- For the Base
10 sheets of phyllo pastry (thawed)
approx. 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
1 cup roasted walnuts
1 cup roasted almonds
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. melted butter (for phyllo base)
- Cheesecake Filling
500gr. (2 pkges) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar pinch of salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. corn starch
3 large eggs, room temp.
250 gr. strained Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- Topping
1 cup shelled pistachios (unsalted), coarsely chopped
1 cup honey
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
splash of rosewater
- Garnish
more honey
Directions
- Preheated 350F oven
- For this recipe, you will need a 8 to10inch springform pan. Place a layer of trimmed parchment paper on your springform base before you lock-in the collar.
- Brush your first sheet of phyllo with melted butter and place in your springform. Repeat with remaining 9 sheets then trim the overhanging phyllo and place in the center/base of your pan. Place in your pre-heated oven and bake for 12 minutes or until just golden.
- Into your food processor, add your nuts, cinnamon, salt and pulse until crumbly. Add melted butter and process until just combined. Transfer nut mixture to your springform pan and evenly cover your phyllo base.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, add your cream cheese, sugar, salt, vanilla, lemon zest and juice and corn starch. Mix for about 4-5 minutes or until smooth (no lumps). Scrape the sides with a spatula.
- Add the eggs one at a time followed but the yogurt. Transfer mixture to your springform and smooth to even out.
- Tap the springform a couple of times on your counter.
Place in your preheated oven on the middle rack for 45 minutes or until top is just golden. Now turn off the heat and keep the cheesecake in the oven for another 50 minutes. - Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Add lemon juice and rosewater to the honey and stir to combine well. Pour over surface of cheesecake and top with chopped pistachios.
- Serve room temp or place in the fridge for serving up to 4 days.
- Unmold from springform pan, carefully transfer to a platter. Cut a piece of cheesecake, drizzle the top with more honey and serve.
Notes
- No Bain Marie/waterbath as it will interfere with the baking of your phyllo (we want it crisp)
6 Responses
Should I leave the cake in the springform pan if I am refrigerating it for 2 days? Thanks.
You may leave in springform.
Can the cake be frozen? Thank you H.
No.
I’m confused about the butter in the Phyllo part: the list of ingredients say 2 sticks melted butter, then at the end it says 2 tablespoons melted butter. What is each for?
Della, 2 sticks for brushing on phyllo, 2 Tbsp. for phyllo base with nuts.