Baklava Cheesecake

Baklava Cheesecake

This Greek cheesecake takes the ever popular cheesecake to a whole new level. If you try one new recipe, it should be this one!!! Yields 16 slices.

12 sheets phyllo pastry
83ml butter, melted
250ml + 250ml pistachio nuts, finely chopped
62ml sugar
2,5ml ground cinnamon
1,2ml ground allspice
250g cream cheese, room temperature
250g mascarpone cheese, room temperature
83ml honey
62ml milk
45ml flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat your oven to 220℃ and lightly spray a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin with cooking spray. Place the cake tin on a baking sheet.
Place one sheet of phyllo in the cake tin and very lightly press it onto the bottom and sides of the pan, leaving the extra pastry as an overhang at this stage. Brush the pastry with the melted butter.
Do the same with the 11 other phyllo sheets, brushing each and rotating the sheets slightly so that the corners are staggered. Set aside.
Add 250ml chopped pistachio, sugar, ground cinnamon and allspice to a mixing bowl and stir to mix.
Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the phyllo in the cake tin.
Place in the oven and bake for about 7 minutes or until the edges of the pastry are golden.
Remove and cool on a wire rack.
Turn your oven temperature down to 170℃.
Add the cream cheese and mascarpone to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Turn the mixer on to a low speed and mix until the mixture is smooth.
Add the honey, milk and flour with the machine running.
Finally add the eggs and, still on low speed, beat until just blended.
Pour the batter into the phyllo crust and bake for 1 hour or until the centre of the cheesecake is barely set.
Cool the cake on a wire rack for at least an hour and then cover with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate the cake overnight.
Take the cake from the baking tin and sprinkle with the 250ml chopped pistachio to serve.

Quick-Bake Cheesecake

Quick-Bake Cheesecake

This is a small cheesecake that serves about 8 people with a taste-size portion which makes it ideal to serve with tea. It goes against cheesecake rules as it is baked in quite a hot oven and not in a baine Marie, has no eggs in it and is sweetened with condensed milk.

200g digestive biscuits
80g butter, melted
250g cream cheese, room temperature
1 x 385g can of condensed milk
125ml lemon juice
fresh fruit to serve

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 25cm x 11cm x 7cm loaf tin with baking paper.
Add the digestive biscuits and butter to the bowl of a food processor and process until you have a texture that resembles wet sand.
Line the baking tin with the mixture, covering the bottom and sides evenly. Put aside.
Add the cream cheese and condensed milk to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Set the mixer on high speed and mix until the cream cheese is smooth – scrape the bowl down once or twice.
Now set the mixer on a low speed and drizzle in the lemon juice. Mix until fully incorporated and you have a smooth mixture.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking tin and bake for 30 minutes.
Turn off the oven and leave the cake inside until it has cooled completely.
Place the cheesecake on a serving dish and arrange fresh fruit on top before serving.