Pistachio Cheesecake With Pistachio Topping Recipe
This Pistachio Cheesecake with Pistachio Topping is a rich and creamy dessert featuring a crunchy graham cracker and pistachio crust. The luscious cheesecake filling is blended with pistachio paste and topped with white chocolate ganache and chopped pistachios for an elegant finish. Perfect for special occasions or a decadent treat.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 8 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup pistachios, ground, not salted
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 90 g butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 480 g cream cheese, full fat, room temperature
- 100 g sour cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 50 g pistachio paste
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Topping
- 200 g white chocolate
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 40 g pistachio paste
- ¼ cup pistachios, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare crust: In a bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, ground pistachios, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar until homogeneous. Add melted butter and stir until crumbs are fully coated. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of a prepared 9-inch cake pan.
- Bake crust: Bake the crust at 350°F for 8 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Reduce oven temperature to 280°F.
- Make cheesecake batter: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, ¾ cup sugar, and sour cream until smooth. Add ¼ cup heavy cream, kosher salt, and vanilla extract, mixing until creamy. Incorporate 50 g pistachio paste until fully combined. Sift in cornstarch and mix until no lumps remain.
- Add eggs: Whisk the eggs separately, then gradually add to the batter mixture, blending until smooth and creamy.
- Bake cheesecake: Pour the batter over the cooled crust and gently tap the pan to release air bubbles. Bake at 280°F for about 1 hour until the edges are set but the center slightly jiggles.
- Cool cheesecake: Remove from oven and let cool at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. Then cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours until fully chilled and set.
- Prepare topping: Heat heavy cream (⅓ cup) until just simmering, then pour over chopped white chocolate (200 g). Let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Mix in 40 g pistachio paste to create a ganache.
- Assemble: Spread the pistachio white chocolate ganache evenly over the chilled cheesecake. Sprinkle chopped pistachios (¼ cup) on top for garnish.
- Serve: Refrigerate for an additional 30 minutes to set the topping before serving. Slice and enjoy your pistachio cheesecake.
Notes
- Use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream for the creamiest texture.
- Ensure pistachios used in the crust and topping are unsalted to balance sweetness.
- Let the cheesecake fully chill to achieve clean slices.
- For extra flavor, toast the pistachios before grinding and chopping.
- White chocolate can be substituted with milk chocolate for a different profile.
- Use a water bath if possible to prevent cracking during baking.
