Baklava Hibiscus Cheesecake

A little Baklava x Cheesecake for this month of mercy!

Here's a breakdown on the ingredients for you to share with your family and friends.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 package of filo pastry sheets (I used 1 1/2)
• 1 1/2 cups of finely chopped pistacios (Or any nut you prefer)
• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, melted

Cheese filling:

• 150 g granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 400 g cream cheese, softened
• 150 g sour cream
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Hibiscus syrup:

• 1/2 cup of water
• a dash of rose water
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• dried hibiscus
• lemon wedge
• cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Prepare a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan by greasing the sides and bottom with butter.

Crust:

1. Bake your chosen nuts (pistacios, etc.) for ten minutes
2. Once baked, finely chop the pistacios and set them aside.
3. Melt the unsalted butter in a small bowl and set it aside.
4. Lay the filo pastry sheets on the springform pan and brush each sheet with the melted butter.
5. Layer the sheets of filo pastry on top of each other until you have about 5 sheets of pastry.
6. Spread the finely chopped pistachios over the top layer of filo pastry.
7. Layer sheets of filo pastry on top again and butter each layer.
8. Keep a few sheets of filo pastry aside.

Cheese filling:

1. In a mixing bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and salt.
2. Add the softened cream cheese and sour cream to the bowl and mix until smooth.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, and then the vanilla extract.
4. Pour the cheese filling over the filo pastry crust.
5. Then use the last sheets of filo pastry to cover the cheese filling.
6. Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the center is set.
7. Then remove the sides of the pan and bake again for 25 minutes to get the sides golden brown as well.

Hibiscus syrup:

1. In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, dried hibiscus, lemon wedge, and cinnamon.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Strain the syrup and discard the solids.
4. Stir in a dash of rose water.
5. Let the syrup cool to room temperature.

Assembly:

1. Once the cheesecake has cooled, pour the hibiscus syrup over the top of the cheesecake focusing on the crust and not the center.
2. Slice the cheesecake into portions and serve.