1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. Make the bottom crust. Melt 6 tablespoons butter. Measure out 2 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar.

Layer 12 phyllo dough sheets for the bottom crust in this manner: place one phyllo dough sheet on your work surface (don’t worry if it tears a little. Phyllo dough is fragile and this can easily happen). Spread melted butter on top of phyllo dough sheet, then sprinkle with a little sugar (you will need to divide the butter and sugar between the 12 layers).

Add a phyllo dough sheet on top and repeat. Continue until you have a stack of 6. For the next phyllo dough sheet, place horizontally on top of the stack of 6.

Repeat the same manner of spreading melted butter and sprinkling sugar on top, until you have a stack of 6. Your bottom crust should have 12 phyllo dough sheets.

3. Carefully place the phyllo dough sheets in an 8-inch springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you make the filling.

4. Make the pistachio filling. Add all ingredients for the pistachio filling to a medium bowl, and mix to combine. Set aside.

5. Make the cheesecake filling. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, add the sugar, softened cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla extract and heavy cream. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing just until incorporated.

6. Assemble. Pour half the cheesecake mixture into the cooled crust. Sprinkle half the pistachio filling over the cheesecake. Pour remaining cheesecake mixture on top. Add remaining pistachio filling on top.

7. Prepare the top crust. You will need 10 phyllo dough sheets for the top crust. Prepare these in the same way as the bottom crust, using the remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter and remaining 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar. Place a phyllo dough sheet down on your work surface, spread with melted butter, then sprinkle with sugar.

Repeat until all 10 phyllo dough sheets are stacked on top of one another. Cut the phyllo dough into a 9-inch circle, then crinkle/scrunch the phyllo dough crust up to create a textured appearance.

8. Place the top crust on top of the cheesecake. If it is a touch too big, you can use a scissors to carefully trim the excess hanging over.

9. Get the cheesecake ready to bake. Wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan with aluminum foil. Place in a large roasting pan and add boiling hot water to bottom of pan so that it is 2 inches up the sides of the springform pan. You want to make sure the water is not higher than the aluminum foil covering.

10. Bake the cheesecake. In the preheated 325F oven, add the cheesecake/roasting pan and bake for 80 minutes. The center should jiggle slightly and the edges should be set. It may be difficult to tell with the baklava crust. I have found that 80 minutes has worked well for this cheesecake. Prop the oven door open and allow the cheesecake to sit in the warm oven for 1 hour to cool.

10. Allow the cheesecake to sit in fridge for 4 hours or overnight, covered.

11. Before serving, make the Honey syrup. Add all ingredients to a small saucepan. Bring the syrup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken the syrup. Allow the syrup to cool for 20 minutes before drizzling over the cheesecake. Drizzle the syrup over the cheesecake, reserving some for when you serve the cheesecake slices. Enjoy!