Syrupy Baklava Cheesecake

SERVES 8-10

PREP & COOK 1 HOUR, 30 MINS

²⁄³ cup natural almonds

■ ²⁄³ cup walnut halves

■

½ tsp mixed spice

■

1½ x 250g packets

■ Butternut Snap Cookie 75g unsalted butter, melted

■ 2 x 250g blocks cream

■ cheese, chopped, at room temperature ¹⁄³ cup caster sugar

■ 1 tblsp cornflour

■

1 tsp finely grated

■ lemon rind

2 cups Greek yoghurt

■

3 eggs

■ SYRUP

²⁄³ cup honey ■

1 tsp finely grated

■ lemon rind

½ cup lemon juice

■ 1 Invert base of a 23cm round springform pan (base measures 22cm). Grease base and side. Line base with baking paper. Place on an oven tray.

2 Pulse nuts and mixed spice in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to oven tray. Cook in a moderate oven (180C) for about 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Cool.

Reserve ¼ cup, set aside.

3 Meanwhile, in same clean food processor, process cookies until finely crushed. Add butter. Process until combined. Press over base and up the side of pan. Refrigerate. 4 Spread remaining nuts over base of crumb crust.

5 To make filling, process cream cheese, sugar, cornflour and rind in same, clean food processor until smooth. Add yoghurt. Process until combined. Add eggs, process until combined. Pour into pan. 6 Cook in a moderately slow oven (160C) for about 50 to 55

minutes, or until just set. Filling should still wobble. Turn off oven. Cool completely in oven with door ajar. Refrigerate until cold.

7 Meanwhile, make syrup. Stir honey, rind and juice in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Bring to boil. Gently boil for about 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened and reduced to about 1 cup. Remove. Cool to room temperature.

8 To serve, transfer cheesecake to a serving plate. Top with reserved nuts. Drizzle over some of the syrup, serving the remainder in a jug.