Baklava Cheesecake

Fusion at its finest.

45 minutes prep

5 hours cook

Serves 8-10

Chris Cahill

Ingredients

Base

15 Filo Sheets

60 gPistachios

60 gWalnuts

1 tspGround Cinnamon

50 gLight Brown Sugar

150 gSalted Butter (Melted)

Filling

455 gCream Cheese

100 gSugar

15 gCornstarch

2 Large Eggs

1 tspVanilla Extract

115 gSour Cream

1 tbspPistachio Cream

Other

85 gHoney

60 mlWater

25 gSugar

1/4 tspRose Extract

Not only does this combine two amazing desserts but looks so beautiful on the plate. Look at those swirls! This has a classic baklava base under a baked cheesecake swirled with pistachio, topped with a filo swirl soaked in a light honey and rose syrup.

Method

Trim 15 sheets if filo pastyy to the size of your loose bottomed tin. Keep the spare offcuts for later in sealed bag or under a moist towel for later.

Chop the pistachios and walnuts and add to a bowl. Mix together with cinnamon and the light brown sugar.

Preheat a fan assisted oven to 160ºC and line your tin with baking paper. Butter the baking paper on the base then add the first piece of filo pastry. Brush the top of the filo with more melted butter and lay the second piece on top. Repeat this until you have a stack of 5 filo sheets.

Sprinkle over a layer of the pistachio walnut mixture saving half for layer, then add another 5 stack of buttered filo sheets. Sprinkle over the other half of the nut mix and finish with a last 5 stack of buttered filo sheets.

Bake this for 15 mins then leave to one side to cool, carefully press the filo down if it puffs up too much. (Don't worry if it cracks a little!) Reduce the oven to 140ºC (Fan).

In a bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth then add the cornstarch and sugar. Mix on low until smooth.

Separately beat two eggs then pour this in slowly while mixing. Afterwards add in vanilla extract and sour cream.

Split the batter in two and add pistachio cream to one half. Fold in slowly as to not add more air to the mix. Add scoops of vanilla and pistachio batter over the cooled filo layers . Then use a knife to swirl the batters together for a marbled effect.

Bake the cheesecake for around 30 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still has a light jiggle. Open the oven and turn off the heat then allow the cheesecake to cool slowly.

Heat honey, water, sugar and rose extract in a pan until the sugar has fully dissolved, then pour the mixture into the corners and the edges of the cheesecake saving the last bit to brush over the top. Then place the cheesecake in the fridge for 4 hours minimum.

At this point you can eat the cheesecake whenever, just finish with a sprinkle of pistachios and dried rose petals if desired.

For a little extra decoration, if you take some of the leftover pieces of filo, butter them and then concertina fold them. You can spiral them into a mold and bake for 15 to 20 mins at 160ºC (Fan) and add them to top of the slices.