Crust:
1 lb Phyllo pastry sheets
1/2 c melted butter
Filling:
2 lb cream cheese
1 c clover honey
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla
6 eggs
Topping:
1/2 c Walnuts
1/2 c Blanched almonds
1 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 c Butter -- melted
1/2 c Sugar
1/4 c Water
1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
1 1.5" cinnamon stick
1 tbsp Cognac
Filling:
Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 350º.
Beat cream cheese in large bowl of mixer until light and fluffy.
Gradually mix in honey, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat in eggs
one at a time until just incorporated. Set aside.
Crust:
Brush 10-inch springform with butter. Arrange 1 phyllo pastry
sheet with long edge partially to edge of surface (cover remaining
sheets with damp towel.) Brush left half of sheet with butter
and fold right half over. Brush top with butter. Place in prepared
pan, buttered side up, leaving 5 inches over-hanging at one end.
Cover with another dampened towel. Butter and fold second phyllo
sheet and arrange in pan, overlapping first sheet by 3 inches.
Repeat with 4 more sheets, covering entire pan.(Wrap remainming
pastry airtight and refrigerate). Stir through filling and pour
into crust. Cover filling with overhanging phyllo, squaring at
edge of pan. Bake until bastry is light brown and cake is firm
to touch, about 50 minutes. Remove pan sides, using toothpick
poke 12 holes in top of cake, to allow steam to escape. Cool completely
on rack. Refrigerate 2 days to mellow flavors, covering after
first day.
Topping:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cover baking sheet with 2 pieces of
parch-ment. Coarse grind all nuts with a tablespoon sugar and
1 teaspoon of cinnamon in processor. Stack 10 reserved pastry
sheets on work surface. Set rim of springform atop pastry. Cut
around inside of rim through entire stack using a sharp knife,
making 10 rounds. Cover rounds with damp cloth. Set pan rim on
prepared baking sheet.Brush parchment and inside of pan rim, with
butter. Place 1 pastry round in pan rim brush with butter. Repeat
with 4
more rounds. Spread nut mixture evenly over pastry. Top with remaining
5
pastry rounds, brushing each with butter. Using ruler as guide,
cut pastry
into 16 wedges with sharp knife. Sprinkle lightly with water.
Bake until crisp and golden, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile heat
1/2 cup sugar, water and
lemon juice in heavy small sauce pan over low heat, swirling pan
occasionally until sugar dissolves. Add cinnamon stick, increase
heat to medium and boil until syrupy, about 4 minutes. Remove
from heat. When bubbles subside stir Cignac. Flatten atop cake.
Remove pan rim from topping. Set topping on cake, using large
spatula. Recut wedges. Replace pan rim on assembled cake. Immediately
pour on hot syrup. Cool 1 hour. Refrigerate 1 to 6 hours. Let
cakes stand for 20 minutes before serving. Makes 16 servings.