Baklava Cheesecake Fusion

Ingredients:
Serves 8-16

Filling

• 4 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 12 oz. honey
• ¼ cup lemon juice (about 2 small lemons)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 6 large eggs, room temperature

Pastry Crust

• 8 fillo pastry sheets
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Fillo and Walnut Topping

• 1 cup walnuts, fine to coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 10 fillo pastry sheets
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Syrup

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tablespoon cognac or other brandy

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Prepare one 9-inch springform pan with 3-inch sides; use a pastry brush to lightly butter the pan with some of the melted butter.

Filling

1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium-low speed with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add the honey, lemon juice, and vanilla extract; continue beating on medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.
3. Add eggs, two at a time, beating after each addition. Note: crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk with a fork to thoroughly break up the egg before adding to the cheese mixture.
4. Do not overbeat the cheesecake batter. Blend the ingredients quickly to add as few air bubbles as possible. The ingredients must be well blended, but excessive beating creates too many air pockets which can cause the cheesecake to puff up too much during baking, and then crack during the cooling process.
5. Let the filling rest while preparing the pastry to allow air bubbles to rise to the surface.

Fillo Pastry Crust

Note: Use the leftover fillo sheets to make this super easy savory egg pie recipe.

1. Place a large piece of waxed paper on your countertop to catch butter drips and make cleanup easier. Lay one pastry sheet on the waxed paper with the long edge parallel to the edge of the work surface, and cover the remaining unused fillo sheets with clear wrap and a damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out. Note: It is best to work fast with fillo sheets. 
2. With a pastry brush, lightly brush melted butter on one half of the pastry sheet along the long edge. Fold the top unbuttered half over onto the buttered half. Brush the top of the pastry with butter.
3. Gently place the pastry sheet in the prepared springform pan buttered side up with a 5-inch overhang. (The pastry should lay across the bottom of the pan, up the side, and have about a 5-inch overhang.) Cover pan and pastry with another damp towel to keep from drying out.
4. Butter and fold another pastry sheet in the same way and place in pan, overlapping the first sheet by about 3 inches.
5. Repeat with 6 more pastry sheets.  Remember to keep unused pastry sheets covered with clear wrap and a damp towel, as well as the pastry-lined pan.
6. Wrap the remaining fillo sheets airtight in their original wrapping or plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to use for topping.
7. Place the fillo lined pan on a baking sheet with ½ inch sides to catch any leakage (trust me on this one).
8. Briefly stir filling to reblend. Pour the filling into the crust. Gently fold the pastry overhang over the filling and gently press down to make a flat surface.
9. Bake 50 to 60 minutes. Note: the cheesecake is done when the pastry has puffed a little and is a light golden brown. The edges of the filling underneath should be set but the center 2 to 3 inches are still a pool of liquid batter. The filling will still be soft and will jiggle when the pan is lightly jarred or tapped with a spoon.
10. Remove from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack to cool. Immediately run a thin knife around the edge of the pan, gently pressing into the side of the pan to avoid gouging the cake. This allows the cake to contract away from the sides of the pan as it cools, helping to prevent cracks.
11. Poke several holes with a toothpick in the top of the fillo pastry to allow steam to escape.
12. When cheesecake is completely cooled, cover the pan and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours before adding the fillo and nut topping.

full: https://all-thats-jas.com/2016/12/baklava-cheesecake-fusion-2.html