Baklava Cheesecake

Directions

• Place all the ingredients on your kitchen counter and let them sit for a few hours until they become at room temperature.
• Put a thin wet towel on a plate, then put on top of it the phyllo sheets and cover them with another thin wet towel so they don’t dry.
• Start by preheating the oven to 392 F.
• Place the walnuts on a baking sheet and spread them, then bake them in the oven for 6 to 10 minutes until they become golden brown.
• Once the time is up, place the walnuts aside to cool down, then reduce the oven heat to 356 F.
• Transfer the walnuts to a food processor then pulse them several times until they become finely chopped then place them aside.
• To prepare the cheesecake filling, combine the granulated sugar with cream cheese in a large mixing bowl, then mix them well until they become smooth and light.
• Add the eggs with flour and mix them well until the mixture becomes creamy.
• Add in the heavy cream then combine them well until they become well incorporated without over mixing them.
• Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inches springform pan generously with melted butter.
• Place two sheets of phyllo pastry in the bottom of the greased cheesecake pan then brush them with butter then sprinkle on top of them some walnuts.  Arrange the phyllo sheets so that they cover the bottom and the sides of the pan.
• Cover the walnuts layer again with 2 phyllo sheets and brush them with butter, then sprinkle some walnuts on top of them.
• Repeat the process 2 more times, then cover them again with 2 sheets of phyllo pastry.
• Pour the cheesecake filling on top of the sheets and smooth it down.
• Use a scissor to cut the edges of the phyllo sheets that are hanging on the sides then arrange them on top of the cheesecake nicely while leaving the middle empty.
• Genlty brush the pieces of phyllo pastry with some butter then place it in the oven and let it bake for 45 minutes.
• Once the time is up, remove the sides of the pan then bake the cheese again for 24 minutes until the sides become golden brown and crunchy.
• In the meantime, start preparing the syrup by combining the honey with water, sugar, cinnamon stick, lemon zest, and juice in a saucepan over medium heat then let them cook for 6 to 12 minutes until the syrup becomes slightly thick.
• Once the syrup is down, gently remove the lemon zest slices and cinnamon stick from it, then stir in the rose water.
• Once the cheesecake is down, pour the syrup on top of it right after you pull it out of the oven while focusing on the areas covered with phyllo sheets on the top and the sides.
• Allow the cheesecake to cool down at room temperature for at least an hour, then place it in the fridge and let it sit for 3 hours.
• Once the time is up, garnish it with some walnuts then service it, and enjoy!