Mascarpone Cheesecake With Honeyed Pistachios

Ingredients

HONEY-ROASTED PISTACHIOS

• 1 cup shelled pistachios
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

CRUST

• 1 1/2 cups finely ground biscotti, crumbs (It is preferable to buy a biscotti that has pistachios)
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• cooking spray

CHEESECAKE FILLING

• 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 16 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest or orange zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or orange juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt

GARNISH

• 1/4 cup honey, for drizzling
• sprinkling of honey-roasted pistachios
• 1 sprig mint

Directions

1. 1

   PREPARE THE HONEY-ROASTED PISTACHIOS:.

2. 2

   Preheat oven to 350ºF.

3. 3

   Warm the honey in a medium bowl to microwave for 10 seconds; warm it slightly.

4. 4

   Add nuts, sugar and salt to the honey bowl and toss to coat well; toss again.

5. 5

   Spread the nuts onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, separating them, and bake for 10 minutes.

6. 6

   Stir the nuts after 5 minutes.

7. 7

   Cool completely, and then separate again.

8. 8

   Place the nuts in food processor and make sure not to overprocess. They can be prepared up to one week ahead of time & stored in air tight containers.

9. 9

   PREPARE THE CRUST:.

10. 10

    Preheat oven to 350ºF.

11. 11

    To make crust mix the ground biscotti, sugar, & unsalted butter in large bowl.

12. 12

    Wrap bottom of 9" springform pan tightly with foil(to prevent water from seeping into the pan while baking in a bain marie.).

13. 13

    Butter pan with butter or use cooking spray.

14. 14

    Pour crumb into the prepared pan and press evenly to form a crust.

15. 15

    Bake the crust until crisp and golden, about 10-12 minutes.

16. 16

    Cool completely before filling.

17. 17

    PREPARE THE FILLING:.

18. 18

    Preheat oven to 350ºF.

19. 19

    Place cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, & beat on low speed until batter is smooth.

20. 20

    Scrape the sides of bowl often to acertain even mixing.

21. 21

    Add the mascarpone cheese until well combined, then beat in the eggs, one at a time.

22. 22

    Add lemon or orange zest, juice, vanilla and salt and mix to combine.

23. 23

    Pour the filling into prepared crust.

24. 24

    Place the crust pan in a larger pan or deep baking dish.

25. 25

    Once in oven, add boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the crust pan.

26. 26

    Bake cheesecake until it's puffed around the edges and the center jiggles a bit when the pan is tapped lightly, about 45-60 minutes.

27. 27

    Turn off oven and leave the cake in the oven with door slightly open for another 30 minutes to cool gradually, so the top won't crack.

28. 28

    Remove cake from oven and allow to cool;.

29. 29

    then chill in the refrigerator overnight. (You can serve after cooling 4 hrs.) However it is preferable to chill a minimum fo 12 hours.

30. 30

    Carefully remove the sides from springform pan to release cheesecake. Place on a large serving platter or cake stand.

31. 31

    ASSEMBLY:.

32. 32

    Sprinkle the pistachios over the entire top of the cheesecake, to garnish. The pistachios will stay put if you apply a little pressure.

33. 33

    Warm the honey in the microwave for 10 seconds or on stove-top.

34. 34

    Drizzle honey over the whole cheesecake or over each slice and drizzle the honey on cheesecake as well as on the dessert plate. Also, use a sprinkling of the pistachios and a sprig of mint.

35. 35

    Now sit back and enjoy this wonderfully delectable dessert with a great cup of freshly brewed coffee.