SALTED CARAMEL CHEESECAKE
- For the salted caramel:
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoon (90 g) unsalted butter, room temp and cut into cubes
- ½ cup (110 ml) heavy cream, room temp
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
First, make sure your butter and cream are at room temperature. This is very important!
Measure out all of your ingredients and set them next to your stovetop.
In a medium saucepan, add the sugar and melt down over medium heat. If your burner takes a long time to heat up and doesn’t get too hot, melt over medium-high heat.
Whisk occasionally at first, as it will take about 5 minutes to see any changes in the sugar. As clumps start to form, whisk constantly until it’s completely melted down (about 15 – 20 minutes).
Once melted, it should be golden in color. Stop whisking and allow it to caramelize and darken. It will only take 1 – 2 minutes for it to turn a rich amber color. Don’t step away from the stove as this happens quickly.
Take the pot off the burner and quickly whisk in the butter all at once. Whisk for about 30 seconds (it may not fully combine and that’s OK).
Quickly pour in the heavy cream and whisk again. Keep whisking until it’s smooth and fluid. *if yours clumps up, see my notes in the post about troubleshooting your caramel.
Finally, whisk in the vanilla and sea salt.
Pour into a glass jar (it will be very thin at this point) and allow it too cool uncovered at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Cover and transfer to the fridge where it will last for up to 2 weeks. The caramel will thicken quite a bit once chilled, so warm it for about 15-30 seconds in the microwave to get the consistency seen in the images here.
- For the Cheesecake:
- Crust:
- 1½ cups (150 g) graham cracker, digestive biscuits, or vanilla wafer crumbs (pulse in a food processor until finely ground)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4½ tablespoons (65 g) unsalted butter, melted
- Filling:
- 32 ounces (900 g) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1⅛ cups (225 g/8 oz) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk , at room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- grated lemon zest from 1 small lemon (1 teaspoon)
Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan (bottom and sides) with a large piece of foil.
In a medium bowl, mix together crumbs, sugar, and melted butter and mix until combined and moistened. Press mixture into the bottom of prepared pan to form an even layer of crumbs.
Bake for 8 – 9 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Meanwhile, prepare the filling.
Increase oven temperature to 425°F/220°C.
In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium-low speed until smooth and lump-free, 1 – 2 minutes. Add sugar and beat until blended. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add cornstarch and mix until blended. Add the eggs and beat until fully combined. Add cream, vanilla extract, and lemon zest and beat just until combined and smooth. Pour batter over cooled crust and spread evenly.
Bake cake for 10 minutes, then lower temperature to 225°F/110°C and continue to bake for 60 minutes until golden brown around the edges, the sides are set but the center is still slightly wobbly (some comments suggested this was not enough baking time.
Note:
I baked this so many times and it works. If you’re not sure if your oven temperature is accurate or if your baking time is usually longer than those called for in a recipe, you can add an additional 10-20 minutes, and avoid opening the oven door too many times). Turn off oven, open the oven door slightly or halfway to let in cold air, and leave the cake in the oven for 60 minutes. This will help prevent the cake from cracking and the cake will remain creamy. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and allow it to cool to room temperature.
Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 12 hours.
Cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Photo: Venita Muller
Recipe posted by Venita Muller
When that s almost combined, pour in the heavy cream and whisk until smooth. It s also important to warm the cream before adding it to the caramel for the same reason as the butter. This is the KEY to making any cheesecake super smooth. At the very least, make sure your cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature. If you re in a pinch, place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes. You can also secure your cream cheese in a ziplock bag and place in a separate bowl of warm water for about 5-10 minutes.