Baklava Cheesecake

How to make baklava cheesecake recipe with this easy and flavorful recipe. This delicious cheesecake is ultra creamy and rich on a traditional baklava crust made with pistachios, almonds and walnuts and a very crispy filo dough.

this recipe

This Baklava cheesecake recipe is a combination of two classic desserts that give this wonderful dessert with oriental flavors.

We find in this very original dessert all the crispness and flavor of this oriental pastry from Turkey, also very popular in Greece, a classic baklava made with pistachios, almonds and walnuts.

As in the Turkish baklava recipe, this cheesecake is made with a puff pastry crust called phyllo pastry or filo pastry, brushed with melted butter which after baking gives a very crispy texture.

All this on a rich and creamy cheesecake layer that perfectly matches the flavor of the roasted nuts and orange blossom.

This baklava cheesecake recipe is a perfect dessert for any occasion, or like oriental pastries, to be enjoyed with the family to celebrate the Aid celebration, served with a drizzle of honey and a glass of mint tea.

>> See all cheesecake recipes from the blog

Composition and ingredients

Here is the composition with the necessary ingredients and possible substitutions to make this delicious baklava cheesecake recipe at home, scroll down the page to see the quantities in the recipe card.

Baklava

• Phyllo crust: For the crust of the baked cheesecake and as in the baklava recipe, use phyllo dough sheet that you can easily find in the shops or in Turkish grocery stores, preferably in a round format to simplify the assembly.
• Clarified butter: as in the original recipe use smen which is a clarified butter known as ghee, you can also use melted butter.
• Nuts: A mixture of chopped nuts with pistachios, almonds and walnut kernels, you can roast them in the oven for more flavor and especially unsalted. 
• Sugar: Preferably use honey syrup to sweeten the nuts or a flavored sugar like brown sugar.
• Cinnamon: Optional to flavor the nut mixture.
• Orange blossom water: To wet the nuts, you can replace it with water, rose water or lemon juice.

Cheesecake filling

• Fresh cheese: Preferably use softened cream cheese like Philadelphia brand.
• Sugar: Use granulated sugar preferably.
• Eggs: Large eggs at room temperature.
• Vanilla extract: Optional to flavor the cheesecake batter.
• Sour cream: Indispensable for the sour flavor and texture of the cheesecake, you can replace it with plain yogurt, cottage cheese or Greek yogurt.
• Lemon: Use fresh lemon juice preferably.

⚠️ You will find the quantities and complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of the page.

How to make Baklava Cheesecake recipe

1 - Chopped nuts

1. Place the chopped nuts, pistachios, almonds and walnut kernels in a medium bowl.
2. Add the other ingredients, ground cinnamon, orange blossom water and honey.
3. Mix with a tablespoon until you have a smooth and moist mixture.

Tip: You can roast the nuts in the oven at 300°F / 150°C for 15 minutes before blending them into small pieces in a food processor.

2 - Cheesecake batter

1. Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until creamy.
2. Add room-temperature eggs and vanilla extract and mix again with a mixer to incorporate.
3. Finish with sour cream and lemon juice and mix again until creamy and smooth.

Tip: Mix at medium-low speed to avoid incorporating too much air into the mixture, which could escape during baking and cause cracks.

3 - Assembly

1. Prepare a springform pan or a cake pan with a removable bottom of 7 - 8 inches / 18 - 20 cm. 
2. Grease the bottom and sides of the prepared pan with melted butter (ghee) using a pastry brush.
3. Place the first sheet of phyllo dough, starting by adhering the bottom and then the edges, avoiding folding the dough too much. 
4. Brush the entire sheet with melted butter using the pastry brush.
5. Repeat this step for all remaining filo sheets.
6. Pour in ¾ of the nut mixture and press down with an angled spatula to get a smooth layer of nuts.
7. Fill the remaining space with the cream cheese filling. 
8. Use scissors to cut out the falling dough to make a straight edge.

4 - Baking

1. Preheat the oven to 300 °F / 150°C and bring a saucepan of water to a boil to make a water bath (steam). 
2. Pour the boiling water over the oven drip pan, which should be positioned just below the rack.
3. Place the cheesecake on the rack and bake for 90 minutes until golden brown on top.
4. At the end of the baking time, leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door half open for about 1 hour.
5. Then let it cool completely at room temperature before covering it with plastic wrap and placing it in the refrigerator overnight (at least 6 hours).
6. Unmold the baklava cheesecake when it is cold and decorate it with the remaining nuts, dried rose petals and a bit of honey syrup.

Conservation and tips

In the fridge: Baklava cheesecake can only be stored in the fridge, under plastic wrap, for about 5 days.

In the freezer: You can freeze this baklava cheesecake when it is completely cooled for up to 3 months. Allow it to return to the refrigerator overnight.

Tips for Success

• Do not overmix the cheesecake batter as this may cause it to incorporate too much air and crack during baking.
• Allow the cheesecake to rest in the oven after baking to avoid thermal shock and the cheesecake shrinking too quickly and cracking. 
• Do not remove the cheesecake from the pan immediately after baking, but when it is cold after a night in the refrigerator. 
• Use a serrated knife to cut it more easily.

More oriental pastry

• Moroccan Chebakia Cookies
• Morrocan Semolina pancake
• Gazelle horns
• Makrout dates cookies
• Montecaos (Ghribia)

More cheesecake recipes

• No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
• No-Bake Biscoff Cheesecake
• No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake
• Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake
• Oreo Cheesecake bites
• Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
• Baklava cheesecake

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