Cheesecake Baklava

Prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 1 hour 45 mins Total time: 2 hours 45 mins, chill overnight

Ingredients

10 phyllo sheets

Cheesecake

450 grams cream cheese

1 1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoon all purpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs, whisked

Filling

2 cups pistachios, chopped

1 cup butter

Sugar syrup

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

a few drops of lemon juice

Equipment

Measuring cups and spoons

1 large bowl

2 small bowls

Standing or handheld electric whisk

7 inch springform cake pan

Pastry brush

Spatula

How To

Preheat the oven to 285 degrees Fahrenheit/140 degrees Celsius

Cheesecake

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on low speed until just creamy.

Add the sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract, flour and lemon juice. Beat until well combined. Fold in the whisked eggs. Set aside.

Place two phyllo sheets in the baking pan, and brush with butter. Their edges will be hanging over the edges of the pan. Sprinkle about 2-3 tablespoons of chopped pistachios on top of the phyllo sheets and then put 2 phyllo sheets on top of them. Butter the sheets, and sprinkle about 2-3 tablespoons of chopped pistachios. Repeat until you use all 10 sheets.

For the final two sheets, don’t sprinkle pistachios on top.

Pour in the cheesecake batter.

Cut the overhanging phyllo sheets all the way around leaving about two inches.

Bake for one hour and 45 minutes or until you see the cheesecake has set but the center still wiggles a bit.

Switch off the oven and leave the cake inside for about 15 minutes with oven door slightly open.

Sugar syrup

Make the sugar syrup as the cake is nearing the end of its bake.

Boil the sugar and water on medium heat. As it starts to thicken add a few drops of lemon juice and let it simmer for a minute. Remove from the stove top.

Assembly

Remove the cake from the oven and remove the ring from the cake pan.

Pour the sugar syrup around the phyllo overhang while it’s still hot.

Let the cake cool at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Chill it in the fridge overnight.

Decorate with chopped pistachios (optional) and serve.