It’s not uncommon for Greeks to make one too many melomakarona for guests, and in a year where visiting family is restricted, many Greek families will be looking at leftover plates of this delicious Greek treat.
But why let it go to waste? Instead, Mia Kouppa has created a new dessert for people to fall in love with: Melomakarona cheesecake.
The dessert is a must-eat for sweet treat addicts, combining the moist texture of melomakarona with the savoury goodness of cheese.
Note: You will need about 8 – 10 melomakarona to make this cheesecake. The exact number will depend on the size of each cookie.
Melomakarona Cheesecake Recipe
Serves: 12
Time: 1hr 30mins + 4 hours to chill
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) crumbled melomakarona
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) melted butter
- 3 packages of cream cheese (24 ounces or 678 grams)
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) granulated white sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
- 2 melomakarona cookies, broken into bite size pieces
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) melomakarona crumbs
- 3 – 4 tablespoons (45 – 60 ml) walnuts
- honey for drizzling
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut 2 large pieces of aluminum foil, larger than the bottom of the spring form pan you will be using to bake your cheesecake. Wrap your pan tightly so that the seam between your pan bottom and the pan ring is completely and securely covered with foil. This is because your cake will be baked in a water bath and you need to prevent water from seeping in to the cake.
- Prepare your melomakarona crumb by placing approximately 6 – 7 honey dipped melomakarona in a food processor or blender, until you end up with a fine crumb. Mix together with the melted butter until well combined. Place the crumb into a 9 inch spring form pan and pat it down with your hand in order to make a compact crust. It does not need to come up the side of the pan at all; just be sure that the bottom is completely covered, with no holes, and no areas which are thinner than others.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer add the cream cheese. Mix well until softened. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the sugar and honey and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. You might find that you have round balls or pieces of cream cheese that have not been perfectly beaten into the mix. Don’t worry about this. The cream cheese will melt during baking and everything will be uniform and lovely. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the pan. Smooth the top so that it is evenly distributed over the crust.
- Place your spring form pan in a larger pan. Place the pans in the middle rack of your preheated oven. Pull the rack out and fill the larger pan with about 1 – 1 1/2 inches of water. Baking your cheesecake this way will ensure that it does not crack, and the filling will be rich and creamy.
- Bake for 60 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Carefully remove the aluminum foil that was protecting your cake. Be careful, there may be hot water in there. Allow your cheesecake to cool in the spring form pan and then place it in the refrigerator, covered loosely, for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Decorate your cheesecake with the melomakarona crumb, melomakarona pieces, walnuts and honey. Prior to serving, remove the ring of the spring form pan.
Sourced By: Mia Kouppa
