Yields:
12 Servings
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 6 Hr
Cook Time:
1 Hr 15 Mins
Total Time:
7 Hr 15 Mins
Baklava Cheesecake
This amazing baklava cheesecake features a crispy phyllo crust and a creamy honey-lemon cheesecake sandwiched between two layers of spiced nuts and topped with a spiced honey syrup. The crust, nuts and syrup can all be made a day in advance. Keep the crust and nuts covered at room temperature and store the syrup in the fridge.
Ingredients
Adjust Servings
-
For the Crust
- For the spiced nut mixture
- For the Honey Syrup
- For the Honey Lemon cheeseckae
Instructions
- Place an oven rack in the lower-middle position and preheat to 375F/190C. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with melted butter.
- Brush one sheet of phyllo pastry liberally with butter, then place inside the springform pan, pressing it into the corners and letting the edges hang over the side of the pan (keep the other sheets of phyllo covered with a damp towel while you work). Repeat with remaining sheets of phyllo, alternating the direction that you lay the sheets so that the sides of the pan are evenly covered. Place the springform pan on a baking sheet and bake until the bottom and sides are golden, about 10-15 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Using a food processor, chop one kind of nuts at a time until they are coarsely chopped (doing one kind at a time, ensures that they are all evenly chopped). Place the nuts in a 12-inch skillet and toast over medium-high heat until lightly browned. Divide the nuts into two bowls and let cool completely.
- Place 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cardamom and 1/8 tsp cloves into each bowl of nut mixture. Add 2 tbsp sugar to one of the bowls of nuts. Cover and set aside until needed. For the Honey Syrup
- Combine honey, sugar, water, cinnamon stick, cloves, orange peel, lemon juice and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Let cool, then pour into a bowl. Cover and chill in the fridge until needed (the longer it chills, the more the spices will infuse into the syrup). For the Cheesecake
- Preheat oven to 325F/160C. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl.
- Pour in the honey and beat until well combined, scrape down the bowl.
- Add eggs, 2 at a time, and beat until incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add the vanilla, lemon zest and salt and beat until just incorporated.
- Add the sour cream and beat until just incorporated. Give the mixture a final stir by hand.
- Place a double layer of foil around the outside of your springform pan to help avoid any water leaking into the cheesecake.
- Break off the overhanging edges of the phyllo so that the sides just come to the top of the pan. Save the phyllo shards for decorating the cake. Spread the nut mixture that has the sugar in it over the bottom of the crust, then pour the cheesecake batter over top. Place the pan in a large roasting pan or skillet and set on an oven rack. Pour hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
- Bake until the centre jiggles slightly and the sides are just starting to puff and the centre registers 150F/65C, 55 - 60 minutes. Turn off the oven and prop the door open with a potholder or wooden spoon. Allow the cake to cool in the water bath for 1 hour. Transfer the pan to a wire rack, remove the foil and let cool completely, about 2 hours.
- Remove the side of the springform pan and place the cake on a serving plate. Remove the spices from the syrup and discard. Combine 3/4 of syrup with the remaining nut mixture and spread over the top of the cheesecake. Decorate with phyllo shards and place the cake in the fridge to chill for 3 hours. Just before serving, pour the remaining syrup over the top of the cake and in between the layers of crust.