An Egyptian lawyer is switching careers entirely to satisfy your sweet tooth. So in this week's Chef's Kitchen, we're taking you to an unexpected location for a unique take on an international favorite: cheesecake.

Enas Gebably is from Cairo, Egypt. She's an attorney living out her true self by baking!

“You know, it's very difficult to start your life again,” she said.

During the pandemic, her husband had to shut down his graphic design business. Enas found out about a free culinary training program at Second Harvest Food Bank in Orlando. Through a Spoon Full of Hope, Enas now has her very own bakery called Nosa's Bakery. 

Her favorite thing to make is Baklava Cheesecake, and she's sharing her recipe with us.

Let's cook!

Ingredients:

1 ½  c. TOAST-YAY Cookies

4 Tbsp. melted butter

4.8 oz. softened cream cheese

1 c. granulated sugar

3 Tbsp. flour

16 oz. sour cream

1 Tbsp. vanilla

3 eggs                                                                            

Baklava:

1 c. chopped walnuts

¼ c. sugar                                        

1 Tsp. cinnamon      

10-20 phyllo sheets                                      

1 c. melted butter                                                 

½ c. Orange blossom honey

 Directions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.

  2. To prepare crust: Combine cookie crumbs on the bottom and up the side of 9-inch springform pan.

  3. To prepare cheesecake filling: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, and sour cream with a mixer on high speed for 10 minutes until it’s fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time and beat it until its smooth, then pour into the springform pan.

  4. To prepare baklava: Combine walnuts, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut a 9-inch round pattern out of wax paper and fold it in half. Fold phyllo sheets in half so the short ends meet. Place the straight edge of the wax paper pattern on the folded edge of the phyllo. Cut the phyllo following the pattern. Layer and butter the phyllo sheets and place on top of cheesecake filling. Spread the walnut mixture over the phyllo layer and butter on another sheet of phyllo. Trim the phyllo round to fit the pan. Bake in preheated oven for 55 minutes.

  5. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours.

  6. Combine orange blossom honey and 2 tsp of water in a sauce pan and bring to 200 degrees. 

  7. Slowly spoon caramelized honey over the cheesecake.