Greek Baklava Cheesecake Recipe
For the Crust:
1 pkt crumbled ginger biscuits
1/2 cup soft butter
For the Filling:
4 pkt soft cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 t vanilla
4 eggs
For the Baklava:
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup sugar
3 T melted butter
1/2 t cinnamon
Fillo:
15 sheets thawed Fillo Dough
1/2 cup melted butter
Syrup:
1/2 cup heated light corn syrup
Method:
To prepare crust, combine cookie crumbs and butter with fork. Press crumbs on bottom and up sides of 9″ springform pan.
To prepare cheesecake, beat cream cheese and sugar on high speed for about 10 minutes until fluffy. Add lemon juice, vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Beat until smooth. Pour into springform pan.
To prepare baklava, combine walnuts, sugar, butter and cinnamon in bowl.
To cut fillo sheets into 9″ rounds, cut a pattern out of wax paper that is 9″ round, and fold in half. Fold 15 fillo sheets in half so short ends meet. Place the straight edge of the wax paper round on the folded edge of the fillo. Cut the fillo following the pattern. Layer and butter 5 sheets and place on cheesecake filling. Spread the walnut mixture over the fillo. Layer and butter another 5 sheets of fillo including top layer and place on top of walnut mixture. Layer and butter another 5 sheets, lightly score into 10 equal sections without cutting all the way to center or outer edge. Place on top of cheesecake. Trim fillo rounds to fit pan, if needed.
Bake in preheated 180°C oven for 1 1/2 hours or until golden brown. Slowly spoon warm syrup over cheesecake to avoid runoff. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours before slicing.
