Pistachio Cheesecake

More About This Recipe

• What if you put one of the most addictive foods into another one of the most addictive foods? You would pretty much have something that’s completely irresistible. This pistachio cheesecake is really just a combination of two things that are impossible to resist. One of the most important things about making a good cheesecake is to cook it in a water bath. This keeps the filling moist as it sets slowly in the oven. Of course, the problem is that you can’t just set a spring form pan (with a removable bottom) in a water bath. Water will almost definitely get into the pan and ruin your pie. The way to prevent this is to wrap the pan very tightly in foil before you even start making the pie. Another important step is dealing with the pistachios. You’ll need to shell about a cup of them, or buy them pre-shelled. Then just grind up the pistachios in a food processor or spice grinder. The finer the better! The food coloring is optional, but if you like the light green color then just add a few drops to the cheesecake mix. The amounts in this recipe assume you are using a large spring form pan that’s 10 inches wide and 2 inches high. If you are using a smaller pie pan or tart pan to make this, reduce the filling by 3/4s. Once the pan is in the oven, then add enough boiling water to come about 1 inch up the side of your pan. If you add the boiling water before moving the pan to the oven, it's a lot harder and messier. Don’t do this. Wait until the pan is steady in the oven and then pour in the water. While baking, the pie might brown slightly on top and crack a bit, but it should stay pretty smooth. Once it’s baked, kill the heat in the oven, but leave the pie in the oven to cool slowly. This will also help prevent it from cracking.
• NOTE: If you have some water leakage in your springform pan, don’t freak out or throw it away. Most likely the cheesecake is still very good and edible if a little water gets in. While you could serve the pie right now, it’ll be very soft. It’ll have a much better consistency if you chill it for a few hours and then slice it up. That’s all there is to it. Try this out and make sure you invite friends. It’s impossible to stop eating it if left alone! To enable screen reader support, press shortcut Ctrl+Alt+Z. To learn about keyboard shortcuts, press shortcut Ctrl+slash.