• Heat an oven to 350°F (180°C).

Assemble the Baklava Crust

• Use your hand or a large spoon to mix 1 cup (130 grams) of the chopped pistachios, 1 cup (120 grams) of the chopped walnuts, ground cinnamon, and cardamom in a small bowl.

  Set the bowl aside.
• Remove the phyllo dough from the plastic and unroll it onto a clean countertop.

  Use a pastry brush to brush the inside of a 9" springform pan with a thin layer of melted butter.

  Lay a phyllo dough sheet across the inside of the cheesecake pan, gently pressing it onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. The sheet should stick to the buttered insides.

  Gently brush the top of this sheet with a thin layer of butter, ensuring you brush the sides and corners of the pastry in the pan.
• Place a second layer of dough across the first to form a "T," and brush the top of this layer with more butter.

  Repeat this process with the 3rd, 4th, and 5th layers of dough. Overlap the sheets to completely cover the inside of the spring form pan. It's okay if the phyllo sheets are ruffled on the sides of the pan.
• Brush the 5th layer of phyllo with another layer of butter.

  Sprinkle a generous handful of nuts (about a 1/2 cup or 50 grams) on top of the fifth layer.

  Use your fingers to spread the nuts evenly over the dough. 
• Repeat layering and buttering the phyllo dough, ensuring you have 5 sheets of phyllo between each layer of nut filling.

  The final layer will be the final 5 sheets of phyllo lying on the countertop. 

  Press the dough down to ensure it sits in the bottom of the pan.

Par-Bake the Baklava Crust

• Use a very sharp knife to score the dough in a diamond pattern to allow the baklava soak up the honey lemon simple syrup. Try to cut through just the top two layers of nuts and phyllo, don't go all the way to the bottom of the pan.

  Bake the baklava in the hot oven for 15 minutes or until it begins to take on a golden brown color. 

Make the Honey Lemon Simple Syrup

• While the baklava crust bakes, stir the honey, water, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a small saucepan.

  Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring to incorporate the ingredients.

  Reduce the heat to low once the mixture boils and allow the syrup to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 9 to 10 minutes or until the baklava crust is finished baking. 

Sweeten the Baklava Crust and Make the Nut Topping

• Reserve 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of the honey lemon simple syrup to use for the topping. 

  Remove the baklava crust from the oven, but leave the oven on.

  Quickly, pour the remaining honey lemon simple syrup over the hot baklava. The crust will bubble and steam, so be careful not to put your face over it. 

  Set the crust aside to cool for 10 minutes.
• Add the remaining crushed pistachios and walnuts to a small bowl.

  Stir in the reserved honey lemon simple syrup to form a sticky mixture, adding more honey as needed.

  Set this bowl aside.
• Once the cheesecake pan is cool enough to handle, wrap the bottom and sides in a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil.

  Set the pan aside while you make the honey cheesecake filling. 

Make the Honey Cheesecake Batter

• Before mixing the cheesecake batter, heat 4 cups of water to boiling over medium heat in a saucepan or microwave to create the steam bath for the cheesecake will bake in. It usually takes about 5 minutes on high in the microwave.
• Use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to blend the cream cheese, honey, lemon zest, and kosher salt on medium speed until smooth in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer.

  Blend these ingredients for 2-3 minutes, then stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beaters. 
• Add the eggs to the mixture, one at a time, scraping down the bowl and beaters after each egg has been mixed in.

  Add the vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture with the final egg, then stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beaters.

  Blend the mixture at medium speed for 2 more minutes.
• Add the cornstarch to the filling in the bowl and blend it at low speed for 30-45 seconds. 

  Pour the prepared honey cheesecake batter into the baklava crust. Tap the pan against the countertop to burst any air bubbles in the batter.

Bake, Top, Then Cool the Honey Baklava Cheesecake

• Set the foil-wrapped pan into a 12-14" pan, then pour the boiling water into the outer pan to create a water bath.

  Carefully place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour. 
• Turn the oven off after the 1-hour baking time, and carefully slide the rack with the cheesecake on it out a little bit.

  Sprinkle the honey-glazed nuts evenly and gently over the top of the cheesecake and slide the rack back into the oven.

  Use a wooden spoon to prop the oven door open and cool the cheesecake gradually in the oven for 1 hour. 
• Remove the pans with the cheesecake from the oven after 1 hour.

  Carefully remove the cheesecake from the outer pan and discard the foil. Cool the cheesecake on the countertop for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

  Transfer it to the refrigerator to cool for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.

De-Pan and Serve the Cheesecake

• Use a sharp knife to cut between the cheesecake pan and the baklava crust when ready to serve it.

  Unclip the cake pan collar and twist it to loosen it from the cheesecake.
• Slice the honey baklava cheesecake and serve it with your favorite tea, coffee, or milk.