Orange Baklava cheesecake

My healthy yet delicious take on baklava cheesecake. Orange baklava cheesecake is a delight; every bite reminds you of spring. I used orange blossom honey and zest to make this mildly citrusy cheesecake. The filo sheets act like a vessel holding the cheesecake filling, adding to the texture. The beauty of filo pastry is its ability to add layers. When baked to perfection, they get a gorgeous color.

As Ramadan begins, Arabic sweets take center stage in many households worldwide. From traditional sweets like baklava, qatayef, and knafeh, to modern twists like chocolate-covered dates and honey cake, there is no shortage of options to satisfy your sweet tooth during this special month. I am constantly inspired by the unique flavors and ingredients used in these desserts and the creativity and skill of making them.

Sweets and desserts are an important part of Ramadan traditions, often shared with loved ones after breaking the fast each evening.

One dessert that particularly caught my attention is baklava cheesecake, a fusion of two beloved desserts that will delight your taste buds. This dessert combines cheesecake’s rich and creamy texture with the delicate layers of filo pastry that make baklava so delicious. The result is a familiar and unexpected dessert, perfect for adding a modern twist to your Ramadan Iftaar table.

Preparation Time: 15-20 minutes
Baking Time: 55-60 minutes
Serves: 6-7 persons

Ingredients

• Filo pastry sheets 10-12
• Cream cheese 250 gms
• Greek yogurt 400 gms
• Sugar 100 gms
• Heavy cream 2 tbsp
• Orange zest 1 tsp
• Eggs 2
• All-purpose flour 15 gms
• Walnuts 100 gms (crushed or chopped)
• Hazelnuts 2 tbsp (crushed or chopped)
• Cinnamon 1 tsp
• Honey (orange blossom honey) warmed 4 tbsp
• Butter 3 Tbsp

Method

1. Grease a 24 cm springform tin. Lay a couple of filo sheets and apply melted butter generously. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of crushed nuts, 1tsp sugar and little cinnamon.
2. Repeat this process for at least 2 more times. Cover the final layer with a filo pastry and apply butter. Beat the eggs, cream cheese, yogurt, sugar, orange zest, flour, heavy cream m in a mixing bowl.
3. Pour this into the prepared filo sheets. Bake for 60 minutes at 160 degrees.
4. Add warm honey to the filo pastry layers once the cake is baked and still warm. Let the cake cool down before releasing from the springform tin.