Shelly's Recipe

BAKLAVA CHEESECAKE

Category: Cheesecake

1 (12 oz) pkg sugar cookies, finely crumbled
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
20 sheets Phyllo Dough, thawed
1/4 cup butter, melted

To prepare crust, combine cookie crumbs and butter with fork. Press crumbs on bottom and up sides of 9 inch springform pan.

To prepare cheesecake, in large bowl, 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 and mix until crumbly.

To cut phyllo sheets into 9 inch rounds, cut a pattern out of wax paper that is 9 inch round, and fold in half. Use this pattern to cut through 20 sheets of phyllo. Overlap 7 sheets of phyllo (using curved edges of phyllo to fit along side of pan) to cover the cheesecake filling, buttering each sheet as you lay it into the pan. Sprinkle the remaining walnut mixture over the phyllo. Place the remaining 6 phyllo sheets over the nut mixture, buttering the sheets.

Lightly score into 10 equal sections without cutting all the way to center or outer edge. Bake preheat oven to 325 for 1 1/2 hours or until golden brown.

To make syrup, combine the honey and water together and heat. Spoon warm syrup over cheesecake. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours before slicing.