A true best-of-both-worlds moment. # 301: Baklava Cheesecake

When life gives you phyllo dough, make a trendy cheesecake. That’s how the saying goes, right?

Back-to-back cheesecakes with no chocolate?! (Don’t worry, there’s enough pistachio and butter here to make up for the lack of chocolate.)

This idea has been making the rounds on Instagram for good reason: crispy layers of baklava make up the crust for a creamy cheesecake filling. It’s rich, nutty and as good as it looks.

I love all my mini bakes, but there’s something so satisfying about making a full-size dessert. It feels like it deserves a party! Real star of the show energy. Also wow when was the last time you lifted a full 8” cheesecake? Tis a hefty bebe.

Cheesecake or Pac-Man?

Have you ever made a cheesecake with flour? It supposedly helps thicken the batter, but I’ve learned I’m more of a light-and-fluffy fan. Moving forward I’m going to stick with the proportions from the strawberry cheesecake bars.

Apparently you can substitute Greek yogurt for some of the cream cheese. Learn something new every day! I love stockpiling successful swaps for when I run out of something and am too impatient to go to the store.

Oh hi there.

On your mark, get melted butter set, go!

A lifelong habit of avoiding walnuts (family allergy that I luckily did not inherit) had me reaching for pecans to mix in with pistachios. I used 3/4 pistachios and 1/4 pecans, and it might be my new go-to nut mix for baklava. Much yum.

Bring on the filling.

Et voila!

Loving the crispy ruffles.

I got the yummiest honey from a friend of my dad (thanks Rod!) Apparently when bees get their nectar from plants like buckwheat, palmetto, and black locust trees it can make the honey look like molasses.

For the next spa treatment, soak in an orange cardamom syrup.

As it cooled it decided to snitch on me and tell everyone that I overbaked it. Luckily, covering the entire top in crushed pistachios is a totally acceptable move.

Ta-daa!

The best kind of math problem.

Crumbly delicious mess.

Happy munching!

Recipe mostly from: https://www.tashasartisanfoods.com/blog/baklava-cheesecake/