Baklava Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 10 sheets phyllo dough
• 12 tbsp butter (Divided; 10 tablespoons melted for brushing the phyllo and 2 tablespoons for the nut mixture.)
• 2 cups walnuts (Ground.)
• 1.5 cups pistachios (Ground.)
• 0.5 cup roasted almonds (Ground.)
• 3 cups cream cheese
• 0.5 cup honey (For the cheesecake filling.)
• 3 large eggs
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon juice (For the cheesecake filling.)
• 1 cup honey (For the topping syrup.)
• 0.5 cup water (For the topping syrup.)
• 1 tsp rose water (For the topping syrup.)
• 0.5 cup walnuts (Roughly chopped, for the topping.)
• 0.25 cup pistachios (Roughly chopped, for the topping.)
• 2 large lemons (Juiced and zested; the juice and zest are used in the topping syrup, with 1 teaspoon juice also used in the filling.)
• cooking spray (For coating the sides of the springform pan.)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 162°C/325°F.

2. 2

   Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, then spray the sides with cooking spray.

3. 3

   Working quickly, brush the phyllo sheets with 10 tablespoons of melted butter, using approximately 1 tablespoon per sheet, and fold each sheet in half. Place the folded pastry into the springform pan, repeating until the pan is completely covered.

4. 4

   Combine the ground walnuts, ground pistachios, and ground almonds in a large bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and stir until the mixture is coarse. Place the nut mixture over the phyllo pastry and press it firmly into place.

5. 5

   Beat the cream cheese with 1/2 cup honey until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon lemon juice, then pour the filling over the crust.

6. 6

   Bake the cheesecake for 45 minutes. Chill it in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.

7. 7

   Make the topping by combining 1 cup honey, water, rose water, and half of the lemon zest in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

8. 8

   Stir the remaining lemon zest and the lemon juice into the syrup. Cool the syrup for 40 minutes, then stir in the roughly chopped walnuts and pistachios.

9. 9

   Pour the topping over the chilled cake. Chill for 2 hours, or until set, before slicing and serving.

Notes

To keep the phyllo from drying while layering, cover the unused sheets with a damp kitchen towel. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. To freeze, wrap individual slices in aluminum foil, place them in freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to three months. The source mentions that 1–2 teaspoons of cinnamon may be added to the honey-rose syrup, but it was not included in the authoritative ingredient list.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• cheesecake
• Middle Eastern-inspired
• baked
• make-ahead
• vegetarian
• entertaining