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breakfast-brunch-dessert:

Caramel Macadamia Cheesecake
Cheesecake:

• 1lb 5oz/600g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons/120g caster or superfine sugar
• 2/3 vanilla pod
• 4 organic or free range eggs
• 1/4 cup/60ml sour cream

Crust:

• 6oz/160g dry biscuits (such as half gingersnaps and half honey grahams)
• 3 tablespoons/40g unsalted butter, melted

Nut Brittle:

• 1 cup/150g salted macadamia nuts
• 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon/90g caster or superfine sugar

Caramel Sauce:

• 5 tablespoons/65g unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon/160g caster or superfine sugar
• 1/2 cup/100ml whipping or heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 285 degrees F/140 degrees C. (I baked mine on 325 degrees F). Grease an 8-inch springform pan and line the sides and bottom with parchment paper. Toast the nuts on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes until they are golden. Remove and set aside.

For the crust

1. In the bowl of a food processor, add the cookies/graham crackers and pulse until you have fine, even crumbs. Add the melted butter and mix well. Pat into bottom of the prepared cake tin and slightly up the sides.

For the cake

1. To a large mixing bowl add the softened cream cheese and sugar, beat with a mixer until creamy. Split the vanilla pod in half length-ways and scrape the seeds out into the bowl. Add the eggs and sour cream gradually and beat until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, you can use a hand whisk and beat everything by hand.
2. Pour mixture into the crust. Place on a baking sheet and bake about 60 minutes or until set in middle, a skewer in center should come out with some wet crumbs attached.
3. Cool to room temperature. Remove the sides and transfer the cake onto a plate, you can leave the bottom on if you like. Chill the cake for at least two hours.

For the nut brittle

1. Line a baking tray with parchment. Place the sugar in a large saucepan with a very thick bottom. Make sure the sugar is in a very thin layer not more than 0.1″/3mm, use a large pan.
2. Heat the sugar over medium-low heat until it turns a golden brown color. Do not stir at any time. If you see little bits of undissolved sugar that’s O.K. Working quickly but carefully, add the nuts and stir with a wooden spoon until they are evenly coated.
3. Pour the coated nuts onto the lined baking tray and allow to cool. When cooled, break or cut the brittle into small bits, leaving it chunky.

For the caramel sauce

1. Stir the butter and sugar in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan, constantly over medium heat. Keep stirring until it becomes a dark and smooth caramel. Once the desired color is reached, carefully add the cream, (it will bubble up and steam) stirring vigorously all the time. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
2. Once the cake has chilled and before serving, dust the sides of the cake with the icing sugar. Top cake with caramel sauce letting it drizzle down the sides. Scatter the macadamia nut brittle all over the top of the cake.

(via )