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Pistachio Cheesecake

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by: Macheesmo
Updated Mar 7, 2017
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A wonderful homemade cheesecake with ground pistachios baked right in!

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.

Pistachio Cheesecake

  • Prep Time 45 min
  • Total 6 hr 0 min
  • Servings 12
  • Ingredients 13
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Ingredients

Crush

  • 2 cups graham crackers, ground
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 pinch salt

Filling

  • 2 pounds cream cheese, soft
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 1 cup pistachios, ground
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 4 drops green food coloring (optional)

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    Grind graham crackers or crush them finely and combine with sugar, salt, cinnamon, and butter.
  • Step 
    2
    Using a 9-10 inch springform pan, line the pan really well with foil on the outside. Then pack the graham cracker mixture in the bottom of the springform pan. Pack the crust up the sides of the pan about 1 inch all the way around. Use a large measure cup to pack the crust so it's even and firm all around.
  • Step 
    3
    Bake crust at 350°F for 12 minutes. Then let cool.
  • Step 
    4
    In a large mixing bowl, whip the cream cheese and sugar until it's smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Mix in the ground pistachios, almond extract, and food coloring. Finally, stir in the sour cream and heavy cream.
  • Step 
    5
    Set your springform pan in a larger baking dish that has at least an inch of room around the edges. Pour filling into the springform pan. Depending on the size of the pan, you might have some leftover. NOTE: You can make this in a normal pie dish or in a tart pan, but reduce the filling by 3/4s.
  • Step 
    6
    Add the larger dish and springform pan to the oven at 325°F.
  • Step 
    7
    Once the pan is in the oven, pour the boiling water around the edges of the dish, adding enough water to come about 1 inch up the side of your pan. Make sure to not get any water in the pie. It's very important that your foil is tightly wrapped around the pie so the springform pan is water tight.
  • Step 
    8
    Bake for 90 minutes at 325°F. Then turn off the oven and let the pie slowly cool for an hour in the oven.

Nutrition

660 Calories
49g Total Fat
10g Protein
43g Total Carbohydrate
33g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
660
Calories from Fat
440
Total Fat
49g
76%
Saturated Fat
26g
128%
Trans Fat
1 1/2g
Cholesterol
195mg
64%
Sodium
390mg
16%
Potassium
300mg
9%
Total Carbohydrate
43g
14%
Dietary Fiber
1g
6%
Sugars
33g
Protein
10g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
35%
35%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
15%
15%
Iron
8%
8%
Exchanges:
1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 1/2 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 High-Fat Meat; 8 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
3
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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