Baklava Cheesecake
If pastry base rises slightly when cooking with beans or rice, press down gently to flatten with a clean tea towel, being careful to avoid escaping steam.
Ingredients
12 sheets filo pastry
75g unsalted butter, melted
1⁄2 cup blanched almonds
1⁄2 cup unsalted pistachios
1⁄2 cup walnut halves
1⁄2 teaspoon mixed spice
500g cream cheese, chopped, at room temperature
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 tblsp corn flour
1 tsp finely grated orange rind
2 cups Greek yoghurt, plus extra to serve
3 eggs
Finely chopped almonds, pistachios and walnuts, to decorate
SYRUP
1 cup honey
2/3 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
Method
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Invert the base of a 24cm round springform pan (base measures 22cm). Grease base and side. Line base with baking paper. Place on an oven tray.
2 Layer half the pastry sheets together, brushing in between each sheet with butter. Press into prepared pan to line base and two opposite sides, allowing excess to overhang. Repeat layering with remaining pastry and butter. Press into pan at the scissors, trim excess to edge of pan. Line with a piece of baking paper. Fill with dried beans or rice.
3 Cook in a moderate oven (180C) for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove paper and beans.
4 Meanwhile, make syrup. Stir honey into juice in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Bring to boil. Gently boil for about 5 minutes or until reduced to 1 cup. Remove. Cool to room temperature.
5 Process nuts and spice in a food processor until finely chopped. Combine with 1⁄2 cup of the syrup in a bowl. Spread over base of pastry case.
6 Process cheese, sugar, corn our and rind in same, clean food processor until smooth. Add yoghurt. Process until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, processing until combined. Pour into pan.
7 Cook in a moderately slow oven (160C) for about 50 minutes, or until just set. Filling should still wobble. Turn off oven. Cool completely in oven with door ajar. Refrigerate until cold.
8 To decorate, top with extra nuts. Serve with extra yoghurt. Drizzle over half the remaining syrup, serving the rest separately.
