Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Fudge Brownies With Salted Caramel Food

SALTED CARAMEL NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Tip the digestive biscuits into a food processor and pulse to fine crumbs. Pour in the butter and caramel sauce and pulse again until damp and sandy. Tip the mixture into a 20cm springform cake tin and use a spoon to press it into an even layer in the base of the tin. Chill for 30 mins.
• For the filling, mix together the soft cheese, salted caramel sauce, sugar and vanilla extract. Once the base is cold and has firmed up, spoon over the filling and smooth the top with the back of the spoon. Chill for at least 4 hrs. If making ahead, wrap the cheesecake and freeze for up to three months instead. Leave in the fridge overnight to defrost.
• To serve, carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin and put onto a serving platter or cake stand. Scatter over the shop-bought chocolates, crushing a few of the malted milk balls, then drizzle with the salted caramel sauce before cutting into slices.

SALTED CARAMEL FUDGE

Steps:

• Line a 20 x 20cm cake tin with baking parchment. Tip the sugar, cream, butter and glucose syrup into a large pan. Warm over a low heat to dissolve the sugar and melt the butter, stirring occasionally.
• When the sugar has dissolved, put a sugar thermometer in the mixture, making sure the end is completely covered by the syrup - if it's not, transfer the mixture to a smaller pan that's still large enough for the syrup to bubble. Turn up the heat to medium-high and bring the syrup to the boil, stirring occasionally to stop it catching. When the thermometer reaches 116C - or 'soft ball' stage, remove the pan from the heat.
• Leave the mixture to stand, undisturbed, for 5 mins, until the temperature drops to 110C, then stir in the vanilla bean paste and a good pinch of salt.
• Remove the thermometer, then vigorously beat the mixture with a wooden spoon, checking the temperature every minute or so until it drops again to about 60C. By this time, the mixture will be really thick and have lost its glossy shine. Take the thermometer out and continue beating the mixture for a few more minutes. This part is crucial as it helps create small sugar crystals that give the fudge its smooth, creamy texture.
• Quickly pour the fudge mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface using a spatula. Dot the caramel over the top, and swirl it through the fudge using a skewer. Sprinkle with 1 tsp sea salt, then leave to cool overnight at room temperature - don't put it in the fridge, as it will become sticky and won't set properly. Cut into 36 bite-sized pieces. Will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two months.

VANILLA BEAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and lightly butter a 10 inch springform pan.
• Place the sandwich cookies into a plastic bag, and crush with a rolling pin. Pour the crumbs into a bowl, and mix with the scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean. Drizzle the crumbs with melted butter and stir to combine. Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan, and set aside.
• Place the softened cream cheese and sugar into the work bowl of an electric mixer, and beat for about 3 minutes on Medium speed, until the mixture is smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, incorporating each egg before adding the next one. Add the scraped seeds of 2 vanilla beans, the vanilla extract, sour cream, and heavy cream, and beat on Medium-High speed for about 1 minute, until the mixture is blended and smooth.
• Pour the mixture into the cookie crumb crust, leaving about 2 inches of space from the top of the pan for the cake to expand as it bakes.
• Place a baking dish onto the bottom rack of the preheated oven, and fill it halfway with boiling water. Place the cheesecake onto the middle rack, above the pan of boiling water, and bake until a small knife inserted into the middle of the cheesecake comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
• Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake cool down inside the oven for 1 hour. Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.