Vanilla Cheesecake With Salted Caramel Food

SALTED CARAMEL AND VANILLA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• To Make the Cheesecake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line the bottom of the 8" springform pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease bottom (parchment) and sides. In a bowl combine the ground cookies, ground almonds (almond meal) and the melted butter. Stir to thoroughly combine. Firmly press the cookie mixture into the base and sides of the prepared pan. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Place the ricotta and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 5-6 minutes or until smooth. Add the sugar and beat for 3-4 minutes or until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the golden syrup, salt and 1 teaspoon of vanilla and beat until well combined. Spoon the mixture into the biscuit shell.
• Place the springform pan in a baking dish and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove cheesecake from the baking dish and allow to cool in the tin. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set.
• To Make The Caramel Sauce: Place the cream, butter and sugar in a saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, bring to the boil and cook for 5-7 minutes or until thickened and becomes the color of caramel. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• To Make The Whipped Topping: Place the cream, sour cream, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Top the cheesecake with the cream, drizzle with the caramel sauce and sprinkle with sea salt flakes to serve.
• To Assemble: Serve topped with sweetened whipped cream and drizzled wtih caramel sauce.

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 CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a 23cm springform cake tin and line the base with baking parchment. Tip the biscuits into a food processor, blitz to crumbs and pour in the melted butter. (You could also tip the biscuits into a bag, bash with a rolling pin into crumbs and mix in the butter.) Press the biscuit mixture into the base of the tin - the easiest way to do this is by flattening it with your hand under a sheet of cling film. Place the tin on a tray and bake for 10 mins, then remove from the oven to cool.
• Meanwhile, scrape the cream cheese into a bowl with 3 tbsp of the caramel sauce, the vanilla, sugar and flour, and beat until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until you have a thick, smooth custard consistency. Tip over the base, scraping the bowl clean, and bake in the oven for 10 mins. Reduce the temperature to 140C/120C fan/gas 1 and continue to bake for 25-30 mins until there is a slight wobble in the centre. Turn off the heat and leave the door just slightly ajar - a tea towel holding the door open is ideal. This should leave you with a completely smooth top, but if there are a couple of small cracks, don't worry. Leave the cheesecake in the oven until completely cool (overnight is fine), then chill until needed. Will keep in the fridge for two days.
• On the day, loosen the sides of the cheesecake from the tin with a knife and remove the base (although I usually serve it straight from the tin base). Add a large pinch of flaky sea salt to the rest of the caramel sauce, then spoon it over the cake and swirl with the back of the spoon. The cheesecake will sit happily on a stand at room temperature for a couple of hours. Just before serving, sprinkle with extra sea salt, if you like.