Could there be a better way to usher in a new beginning, than with cheesecake? That too, a Baklava Cheesecake? I think not.
I’ve adapted this recipe from the amazing Amanda of Amada’s Plate. The original recipe gives the option of making a pomegranate reduction to serve alongside the cheesecake. I didn’t make it because I didn’t have the ingredients required, but it’s definitely something worth checking out, so be sure to head on over to her space to see for yourself.
I’ve made this a handful of times, and other than the baklava topping, the cheesecake is super easy to throw together. And to be honest, even the baklava topping isn’t difficult; it just requires patience.
Happy baking!
Baklava Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Filling
- 2 pounds (four 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon rose water or orange blossom water
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Syrup
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Baklava Topping
- 1 cup walnut pieces
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 12 sheets phyllo dough, thawed and kept covered with a damp paper towel
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F and set aside a greased 9-inch springform pan. Fill a roasting pan with boiling water and place inside the oven on the lowest rack. This will create steam in the oven, which will help prevent the cheesecake from cracking.
Prepare Crust
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In a bowl, stir together all ingredients until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom and sides of the springform pan. Set aside.
Prepare filling
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In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth over medium low speed. Add sugar and beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing completely after each addition. Reduce speed to low, and add all-purpose flour, rose water, cardamom, and salt, and mix until combined. Pour the batter over the crust and set aside.
Prepare Syrup
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In a small saucepan, mix sugar, water, and lemon juice. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar has completely melted. Set aside.
Prepare Baklava Topping
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In the bowl of a food processor, combine walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon. Blitz until finely ground. Set aside.
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Cut phyllo dough into 9-inch circles. Cover with a damp paper towel and set aside.
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Use a cutting board as your work surface, and place one phyllo sheet on it. Brush with melted butter, and repeat until you have a stack of 6 sheets. Spread the walnut filling over the stack of phyllo. Top with another phyllo sheet and brush with melted butter. Repeat with remaining sheets.
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Using a sharp knife, gently score the baklava topping (don’t cut through the entire stack; just the top few sheets is necessary). Cut like you would a pizza. Gently transfer the topping to the top and center of the cheesecake.
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Place the springform pan on a baking sheet and bake until center is set, about 55 minutes. Cool in the oven with the door ajar, for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and pour the syrup over the top of the cheesecake. Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving.
i love baklava in general..but never thought of combining these two! such a beautiful creation.
Sooo tempting . and this looks so yummy. I need to try it asap
thanks for sharing
-Neha
LovePlayingDressup
Its a beautiful creation
-Neha
LovePlayingDressup
I just made this and it turned out gorgeous! However, the baklava layer I made was underwhelming 😩 It also didn’t bind well and kinda just fell off after the first bite was taken. Maybe I’m doing something wrong in the process. Do you have any suggestions for 1) baklava flavor/texture (i.e. changing the type of nut, more syrup, more layers of phyllo dough, etc.) and 2) binding the baklava to the cheesecake better? Thank you!
I’m so sorry to heat that! I’ve made this cheesecake several times, and I’ve never had that issue. When you place the phyllo on top of the cheesecake, is it lightly scored so that it’s easier to cut slices?
Ok, I added more ghee to the nut mixture and increased the # of sheets below the nut mixture and it’s binding better now. On a different note, how do you test for doneness since the cheesecake itself isn’t visible? It passed the baking time but a toothpick came out wet so not sure what to look for :/ wanting it to hold it’s structure in the middle, it was just slightly runny this time. Thank you so much Henna!
I love that you tweaked the topping and got better results! Thank you for sharing that here!
As for knowing when the cheesecake is done- if the baking time has passed, allow it to cool completely and then refrigerate it. The thing with cheesecake is that is will continue to cook further as it cools down, and it will firm up once it’s refrigerated. You don’t want to overbake because then you’ll be left with a dry and gross cake loll