Baklava cheesecake

FILLING
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32 ozs CREAM CHEESE, room temperature
1 cup CLOVER HONEY
1/4 cup LEMON JUICE (fresh)
2 tsps VANILLA
6 JUMBO EGGS, room temperature
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Beat cream cheese in large bowl of electric mixer until
light & fluffy. Gradually mix in honey, then lemon juice &
vanilla. Beat in eggs 1 at a time until just incorporated.
Set aside. Stir through filling & pour into crust.

Cover filling with overhanging phyllo, squaring at edge of
pan.

Bake until pastry is light brown and cake is firm to touch,
about 50 mins.

Remove pan sides; using toothpick, poke 12 holes in top of
cake to allow steam to escape. Cool completely on rack.
Refrigerate 2 days to mellow flavors, covering after first
day.
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BAKLAVA TOPPING
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1/2 cup WALNUTS
1/2 cup ALMONDS, blanched
1 TBS GRANULATED SUGAR
1 tsp CINNAMON
1/2 TBS BUTTER (unsalted), clarified
1 TBS LEMON JUICE (fresh)
1 1-1/2 inch CINNAMON STICK
1 TBS COGNAC
BAKLAVA CHEESECAKE (Con’t)
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Preheat oven to 350.

Cover baking sheet with 2 pieces of parchment.

Coarsely grind all nuts with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tsp.
cinnamon in processor. Stack 10 reserved phyllo pastry
sheets on work surface. Set rim of 10-inch springform pan
atop pastry. Cut around inside of rim through entire stack
using sharp knife, making 10 rounds. Cover rounds with damp
towel. Set pan rim on prepared baking sheet.

Brush parchment and inside of pan rim with butter. Place
one pastry round in pan rim and brush with butter. Repeat
with four more rounds. Spread nut mixture evenly over
pastry. Top with remaining 5 pastry rounds, brushing each
with butter. Using ruler as guide, cut pastry into 16
wedges (or however many pieces you want) with sharp knife.
Sprinkle lightly with water. Bake until crisp and golden,
about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1/2 cup sugar, water, and lemon juice in
heavy small saucepan over low heat, swirling pan
occasionally until sugar dissolves. Add cinnamon stick,
increase heat to medium and boil until syrupy, about 4
minutes. Remove from heat. When bubbles subside, add
Cognac.

Flatten pastry atop cake. Remove pan rim from topping. Set
topping on cake, using large spatula. Re-cut wedges.
Replace pan rim on assembled cake. Immediately pour on hot
syrup. Cool one hour.

Refrigerate one to 6 hours, preferably six hours. Let cake
stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.