A very creamy cheesecake that tastes like real pistachios is made at home with pistachio paste made from toasted ground nuts.
Cookie Crust– 300g cookie crumbs graham crackers or digestive cookie– 113g or 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted– pinch fine sea salt– 1 tablespoon powdered sugarPistachio Filling– 453g cream cheese two bricks, softened and at room temperature– 200g or 1 cup granulated sugar– ½ teaspoon fine sea salt– 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract– 200g or 1 scant cup pistachio butter– 240g or 1 cup sour cream– 2 large egg– zest of 1 lemon optional, rub it into the sugar before adding it to the batter
INGREDIENTS
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INSTRUCTION
While the machine is on high, grind the cookies, salt, butter, and sugar into very small pieces.
STEP 1 .
Put in the melted butter and process until the whole thing is wet and sticks together. In a cake pan that is 8 inches across and has high sides,
STEP 2.
press the crumbs up the sides and on the bottom. Put the crust in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Put it somewhere cool while you make the filling.
STEP 3.
Downsize oven to 325. Process or mix cream cheese, sugar, and salt on high until smooth. Add vanilla and scrape bowl; process another minute.
STEP 4.
Blend the pistachio butter. Remix everything in the bowl. Add sour cream. Just mix eggs. Fill a 13x9" pan with batter inside the crust.
STEP 5.
Midway fill pan with water. This is the bath. Instead, bake for 50 minutes until the sides are set and the center jiggly. Overcooking causes brown crust.
STEP 6.
Open the oven door with a wooden spoon after removing it. Baked 30-minute cheesecake. Close the oven door after 30 minutes to finish cheesecake 15 minutes. 30 min removal/countercooling. Maximum 8 hours.