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Baklava Cheesecake

Carissa Erzen
This Baklava Cheesecake is incredibly impressive! The buttery, flaky phyllo dough along with the chopped pistachios and honey of the baklava form a delicious crust. And the creamy dairy free cheesecake brings the perfected balance to this delicious dessert!
4.8 from 6 votes
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Cooling Time 11 hours
Total Time 14 hours 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Servings 12 people
Calories 653 kcal

Ingredients
  

Baklava Crust

  • 2 cups chopped roasted pistachios plus extra for topping
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (only add if the pistachios are unsalted)
  • ½ cup raw organic honey
  • ½ cup dairy-free butter, melted
  • 15 sheets phyllo dough (thawed to room temperature)

Dairy Free Cheesecake

  • 32 ounces dairy-free cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon rose water
  • 1 ⅔ cup dairy-free plain Greek yogurt
  • 4 whole eggs
  • 2 egg yolks

Instructions
 

Baklava Crust

  • Mix the chopped pistachios with the salt and honey in a mixing bowl until it's sticky and well-coated. Set aside.
  • Grease a 10-inch or 11-inch springform pan. Use a pastry brush to brush melted butter on the bottom and sides of the pan.
  • Gently pull apart one sheet of phyllo dough and place it in the springform pan. Use your hands to flatten it on the bottom and in the corners and up the sides, to hang over the top of the pan.
    Brush a little melted butter on the phyllo dough sheet, including up the sides.
    Repeat with 9 more sheets of phyllo dough, until you have 10 stacked, each layered with melted butter on top.
  • Spread half the pistachio-honey mixture into the pan and press it in an even layer.
  • Layer five more sheets of phyllo dough and melted butter.
    Spread the other half of the pistachio-honey mixture into the pan and press it in an even layer. Set aside.

Dairy Free Cheesecake

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  • In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric whisk, beat the room temperature cream cheese for 4 to 6 minutes, until it is smooth and creamy.
    If there are any lumps, you'll end up with a lumpy cheesecake. Scrape the sides of the bowl during this process, to make sure all the cream cheese gets creamed.
  • Beat the granulated sugar and salt into the cream cheese for another 4 minutes, until it is smooth.
  • While mixing on low speed, add the rose water. Then add the whole eggs, one at a time. Make sure each egg is fully mixed in before adding the next egg.
    Then add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
  • Add the dairy-free plain Greek yogurt and continue to mix on a low speed until it's smooth, creamy and fully combined.
    Scrape the sides of the bowl again and give the mixture a few last stirs by hand, to ensure there are no pockets of ingredients that aren't fully mixed.
    Pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan with the baklava crust.
  • Bake for 30 minutes.
    Reduce the oven temperature to 250°F and bake for 1 hour.
    Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the hot oven with the door closed for at least 1 hour.
    Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to come to room temperature, after about 3 hours.
  • Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight to set (at least 8 hours).
    When ready to serve, carefully release the walls of the springform pan. Top with chopped pistachios.
    Slice and enjoy!!

Notes

  • If you don't need your cheesecake dairy free, use normal butter, Greek yogurt and cream cheese.
  • If you can start with ingredients at room temperature including the cream cheese, yogurt and eggs, your cheesecake will whip up creamier.
  • You can substitute other nuts like walnuts or almonds instead of pistachios.
  • Allow frozen phyllo dough to defrost overnight in the fridge, then come to room temperature for about an hour. At room temperature, it's soft and pliable.
    Keep the phyllo sheets that you aren't using covered with plastic cling wrap and a damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out.
  • Don't skip chilling the cheesecake - this step is vital to allow the cheesecake to finish setting. If you try to slice it while it's room temperature, it won't be firm yet.
  • Store the baklava cheesecake in the fridge under a cake dome or wrapped loosely in plastic wrap for up to 4 days. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 653kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 16gFat: 46gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 165mgSodium: 540mgPotassium: 399mgFiber: 3gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 1224IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 142mgIron: 2mg
Keyword baklava cheesecake recipe, baklava recipe, cheesecake no water bath, dairy free cheesecake
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