Halvah Filo Cheesecake

Courtesy of A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking by Marcy Goldman Makes 14 to 16 servings Filo crust  2 filo pastry leaves 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted Filling 4 eggs plus 1 egg yolk 1 and 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup honey 1/2 teaspoon sesame seed oil 1/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons plain yogurt 1/4 cup flour 3/4 cup coarsely chopped vanilla halvah 1/3 cup coarsely chopped pistachio nuts (optional) Topping 2–3 tablespoons honey 1/4 cup lightly toasted sesame seeds 1/2 cup ground or finely chopped pistachio nuts Preheat the oven to 350°F. Use a 9- or 10-inch springform pan Filo crust: Spread one sheet of filo lightly with melted butter. Line the pan with the filo, allowing the excess to overhang. Repeat this process with another four leaves of filo, pressing each one into the pan, starting at the center and allowing the excess to drape over the sides....

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Open Sesame: The History of Halvah

by Nevin Martell The first time I tasted halvah was on Manhattan’s Lower East Side after a long night on the town. I wandered into a corner deli offering hundreds of potential dessert options, but I was drawn to a marbled halvah bar for sale at the counter. The turbaned, mustachioed sultan on the package beckoned me toward one last magic carpet ride for the evening. I couldn’t resist. The first bite was an intoxicating mix of sesame, vanilla and chocolate with an initially crumbly texture that smoothed into a slight chalkiness that wasn’t unappealing. In contrast to the Snickers and Butterfingers I could have been eating, it wasn’t too sugary. I finished the bar before I made it outside and have been a fan ever since. Derived from the Arabic word halwa,...

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