Vegan Maple Baklava Cheesecake Recipes

VEGAN MAPLE BAKLAVA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Grease and line a 7" cake pan with professional bakery pan grease and parchment paper.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Lightly toast all the walnuts from all the recipes above together in one large sheet pan, then divide them up later. For less than 8 minutes at 350° will be fine, you do not want to over toast them, or they get very bitter.
• Prepare the crust by placing 1¼ cups of the cooled toasted walnuts in a food processor with the cinnamon and the maple sugar.
• Add the melted vegan butter and process to a fine grind, be sure not to make a paste, you are not making butter!
• Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and set aside in the refrigerator until needed.
• For the cheesecake combine all the ingredients together in a food processor and process smooth, scraping the sides and making sure that is is ultra smooth.
• Pour the batter into the prepared crust and bake in a water bath at 350°F for 1 hour.
• After 1 hour turn the oven off and let it cool inside the oven for another hour.
• Cool on the counter the rest of the way, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before un-molding.
• Meanwhile make the baklava by combining the other walnuts (1½ cups) with the cinnamon and candied orange (if using) and pulse to a fine grind. Be careful not to over process or you will have a nut butter!
• Carefully unroll the package of phyllo dough and cut it in half down the center (like the fold of a book)
• Save one half for another baking project and then cut the other half to fit your 7" diameter springform pan.
• Layer the phyllo in the bottom of the lightly greased 7" springform pan 2 sheets at a time and brush only the top of the 2nd sheet lightly with the melted vegan butter.
• Repeat for a total of 8 sheets (or 4 doubled layers of Phyllo)
• Pour the walnut cinnamon mixture over top and then repeat the layering and buttering of the remaining sheets of Phyllo.
• Cut the baklava before baking into 8 wedges and bake in a preheated 350°F oven (I do this while the cheesecake is baking) for 35 minutes or until golden browned and the pastry is flaked and cooked through
• Meanwhile cook the maple syrup with the water and orange to a boil and let boil for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and reserve.
• When the baklava is done baking, remove from the oven and immediately pour the maple syrup mixture (remove the oranges) over the hot baklava.
• Let it cool at room temperature until you are ready to top your cheesecake with it!