Hobbies

Cheesecake:

600g cream cheese (softened)

200g sugar

2 eggs

90g plain greek yogurt

50g flour

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste (optional - really there for adding little specks)

1-4 tsp rose extract (I use 3tsp of carlo brand, they seem to vary in potency drastically between brands)

lemon zest of 2 lemons (if you want lemon cheesecake)

Crust:

1 Package of Phyllo Dough thawed (microwaving it little by little sort of works)

3 tbsp melted butter

100g walnuts chopped

30g pistachios

1 pinch of cloves

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp orange blossom water

Syrup:

50g sugar

70g honey

1/2 lemon squeezed

1 cinnamon stick

4 tsp rose water (see note above on potency)

1/2 - 1 tsp orange blossom water

Instructions:

1. Mix creamcheese and sugar until thouroughly combined. Add eggs and yogurt and mix until homogenous. Add flour, mix again. Add the flavors and mix until smooth.

2. Line a drop bottom pan with phyllo dough using the butter to stick it to the pan for ease of assembly.

3. After adding around 6-8 layers of dough you should start feeling confident that the cheesecake will not escape (you shouldn't have any holes and your layers should overlap). At this point add 3/4 of the nut mixture (all other ingredients in the crust section).

4. Put another couple layers of phyllo dough on top of the nuts.

5. Pour in cheesecake batter

6. Sprinkle more nuts on top.

7. Fold a sheet or set of sheets of phyllo dough if need be hot-dog way into a 1 inch long strip. With a pair of kitchen scissors, cut down the middle of the strip. Arrange these along the edge of the top of the cheesecake with the scissored side up (fold down). Add the second one slightly overlapping continuing around the pan. Repeat. When it starts to overlap with the beginning, arrange it to spiral. For the last piece that goes in the middle, pre-spiral it before placing it on the cake.

8. Bake at 325F for 60-75 minutes until deep golden brown and slightly wobbly.

9. Let cool in the oven with the door open for 15 minutes

10. Make syrup in a pan, boiling it down for 15 mins or so. I like to do this while the cake is in the oven.

11. Pour the syrup on the cake making sure to get some around the edges.

12. Decorate with some extra pistachios and dried edible roses (often sold as loose leaf rose tea)

Cake:

580g brown sugar

2 sticks butter

6 eggs

2tsp vanilla

300g unsweetened chocolate

460g flour

4tsp baking soda

4 tsp baking powder

3tsp salt

500g boiling water

470g sour cream

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2. Beat butter and brown sugar until combined in stand mixer

3. Add eggs + vanilla

4. Carefully microwave chocolate until barely melted (mix in 30s increments max)

5. Add to mixture when cool enough to not cook eggs

6. Mix in flour + dry ingredients

7. Mix on medium setting for 5 minutes (we are intentionally developing the gluten)

8. Add sour cream

9. Prep 2 9-inch cake rounds (butter + flour or I prefer having parchment paper on the bottom of a drop bottom pan)

10. Add boiling water (at this point you're on a clock) and mix until barely combined, some floating chunks are fine.

11. Bake for 30-40 mins until toothpick comes out clean

12. Cool completely before frosting. Frost with chocolate ganache and put raspberries in the middle between your layers.