Kanafeh Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS

Base:
150g digestive biscuits
65g melted
150g Supreme Pistachio Kernels
Pinch of salt

Cheesecake Filling:
400g cream cheese
250 ml double cream
70g icing sugar
2 tbsp Supreme Rose Water
1 tsp lemon juice

Syrup:
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 slice of lemon
1 Supreme cinnamon stick
5 Supreme Cardamom Pods

Topping:
180g kataifi pastry (shredded Phyllo dough), thawed and shredded
100g butter
50g supreme Pistachio Kernels, roughly chopped
¼ cup edible rose petals

METHOD

Base:
Add digestive biscuits, salt and pistachios into a food processor and blitz to crumbs. Add melted butter and blitz again. Tip the mixture and press this mixture into a 8 inch springform tin.

Cheesecake Filling:
In a bowl, beat together cream cheese, double cream, icing sugar, rose water and lemon juice until smooth and whipped. Spoon the cheesecake filling on top of the biscuit base and smooth with a spatula. Put it in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.

Syrup:
Add all the ingredients for the syrup into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl and set aside to cool.

Topping:
Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add butter and once melted add the shredded kataifi and stir well until evenly coated with the butter. Continue to stir constantly (careful not to burn it), until the kataifi is evenly golden brown in color and crispy. Transfer to a dish lined with kitchen paper and set aside to cool. Once cooled, mix together with chopped pistachios and rose petals.

To serve, remove the cheesecake from the springform tin and place onto a serving dish. Pile the crispy kataifi topping on top of the cheesecake, then pour the generous amount of syrup on top. Slice and serve immediately.