Baklava Cheesecake Recipe

Baklava Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients:

• 10 sheets of phyllo dough
• 10 tablespoons of butter, divided
• 2 cups of ground walnuts
• 1 1/2 cups of ground pistachios
• 1/2 cup of ground roasted almonds
• 3 cups of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 cup of honey (for topping)
• 1/2 cup of water (for topping)

• 1 teaspoon of rose water (for topping)
• 1/2 cup of roughly chopped walnuts (for topping)
• 1/4 cup of roughly chopped pistachios (for topping)
• Juice and zest of 2 large lemons (for topping)

Instructions:

1. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray the sides with cooking spray.
2. Working quickly, brush each sheet of phyllo pastry with melted butter and fold it in half. Place the folded pastry into the springform pan. Repeat this process until the pan is completely covered with the phyllo pastry.
3. In a large bowl, combine the ground walnuts, pistachios, and roasted almonds. Add 6 tablespoons of melted butter and stir until you have a coarse mixture. Press the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo pastry crust.
4. In another bowl, beat the cream cheese and honey together until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and lemon juice. Pour the cheesecake filling over the nut crust.
5. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and bake the cheesecake for 45 minutes.
6. Once baked, let the cheesecake cool for a few minutes, then refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or overnight.
7. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of honey, 1/2 cup of water, and 1 teaspoon of rose water for the topping. Add half of the lemon zest and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining lemon zest and juice.
8. Allow the syrup to cool for 40 minutes, then stir in the roughly chopped walnuts and pistachios.
9. Pour the topping over the chilled cheesecake and return it to the refrigerator for 2 hours before slicing and serving.

Notes:

• To store the cheesecake, cover it and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• If you want to freeze the cheesecake, store either the whole cake or individual slices in airtight containers and freeze for up to 2 months.