Say “Cheese!”
Pistachio Cheesecake
Your guests will have a reason to smile when you offer them a slice of cheesecake that is different but delicious. We present to you the Pistachio Cheesecake! No offense to The Cheesecake Factory, but out of their lengthy menu, pistachio cheesecake is not one of them. We hope they’re green with envy over this nutty, sweet dish and your guests will indulge in a second slice.
Our Founder, Alex, was inspired by the recipe she found on Tablespoon.com and made a Pistachio Cheesecake with a slight upgrade - a shortbread crust. Less sandy, the shortbread is sure to add a dash of sophistication with the melt in your mouth crust.
And how convenient! We have brought this recipe to you today just in time for National Cheesecake Day, July 30th. We hope you are able to celebrate it too!
If you try the recipe yourself, let us know how it went in the comments and/or please share photos with us on Instagram by tagging us at @pistashfoods.
Ingredients needed:
Shortbread Crust
1 cup (226 g) salted butter, softened
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (57 g) confectioner’s sugar
Filling
2 pounds cream cheese, soft (two 8oz bars)
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 1/4 cup pistachios, ground
1 tsp almond extract (optional)
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
3-4 drops green food coloring (optional)
Tin foil
Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Combine all the ingredients for the shortbread crust into a bowl and beat until well combined.
3. Press into a cheesecake pan across the bottom and halfway up the sides. Using a fork, gentle puncture the bottom of crust to allow air to escape while the crust cooks.
4. Bake for 12-14 minutes at 350 degrees.
5. Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Set aside.
6. Adjust the over temperature down to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. In a large mixing bowl, whip the cream cheese and sugar until it's smooth.
8. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well.
9. Gently mix in (on a low setting) the ground pistachios, sour cream, and almond extract or food coloring, if using.
10. Then, fold in heavy cream. Do not beat this as it will change the texture of the cheesecake.
11. Wrap the bottom and outside of the spring foam pan in tin foil.
12. Pour cheesecake mixture into the springform pan.
13. Set your springform pan in a larger rimmed baking pan that has at least an inch of room around the edges. Place the pan in the oven, then pour warm water in the outer larger rimmed pan, but do not over fill it. Close the oven.
14. Bake the cheesecake for 90-100 minutes. Until the middle of the cheesecake giggles. Then turn off heat and let the cheesecake slowly cool down.
15. Carefully remove cheesecake springform pan from the over and cool in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
Alex’s Notes:
It’s optional to put foil over the top of the cheesecake to preserve a lighter color while baking. Place foil over the top of the cheesecake after it has been baking for an hour.
