Baklava Cheesecake Rolls
Crispy, crunchy phyllo pastry with classic Baklava flavors filled with a creamy, delicious cream cheese filling. It's a match made in heaven! These can be prepped weeks in advance and stored in the freezer, making them the perfect party snack!
Equipment
- Hand whisk
- Pastry brush
- Piping or ziplock bag
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling
- 200 gs cream cheese, softened
- 55 gs white granulated sugar
- 30 gs sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1/2 egg
Baklava Rolls
- 12 sheets Phyllo pastry, cut in rectangle or square shape
- 300 gs melted butter
- 200 gs pistachios
- 2 tsp cinnamon powder
Sugar Syrup
- 200 gs white granulated sugar
- 150 gs water
Instructions
Cheesecake Filling
- Add the cream cheese and sugar and whisk until it’s well combined. You can check if it’s done by rubbing the cream cheese between your fingers to check for graininess.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla essence and mix until well combined.
- Add the egg and give the batter a final mix until everything is well incorporated into the cream cheese mixture. Transfer it into a piping or ziplock bag and chill until ready to use.
Baklava Rolls
- Blend the pistachios and cinnamon powder until they turn into a rough powder
- Layer the Baklava: Place a sheet of phyllo pastry on baking paper, brush melted butter all over the sheet, and sprinkle with the pistachio powder. Place another phyllo sheet on top and press it down to seal, then repeat the same butter and pistachio layers.
- Fold the Baklava rolls: Turn the phyllo pastry so that one of the tips is facing you. Pipe a thick line of the cheesecake filling 2-3 inches away from the tip, then pick the phyllo layers from the tip and roll them over the cheesecake filling and seal at the edge. Roll along the cigar-like shape a few times until you reach halfway through the sheet, then brush the roll with melted butter and fold each side horizontally like an envelope. Brush the remaining open phyllo sheet with butter and roll till the end until completely sealed. At this step, you can place the rolls in a sealed ziplock back and pop them in the freezer to make ahead
- Preheat the oven to 180℃, place the rolls on a baking sheet, brush the tops with melted butter, and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
- Make the sugar syrup: Add the sugar and water in a saucepan, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the syrup thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Top the rolls with the sugar syrup and chopped pistachios, and enjoy while warm.
Notes
Make Ahead:
These rolls can be made up to a month in advance and stored in the freezer before the baking step.
Storage:
These rolls are best enjoyed fresh.
Tips & Tricks:
- Keep the phyllo sheets covered when not using them, as they dry out very quickly.
- If your phyllo sheets are very big, cut them into smaller rectangles or squares. You don't need to have a specific size and can make them as big or small as you like.
- Don't overfill the rolls with cheesecake filling, or it will spill out. About 1-2 tbsp of filling per roll is enough.
- Pour the sugar syrup on the rolls while they are still hot so that they can absorb it well.