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Salted caramel pretzel cheesecake
Ingredients
- 2 cups (125 grams) salted pretzels
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) flour
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) packed brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons (90 grams) unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake filling:
- 3 bricks (1 cup/250 grams each) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1-1/4 cup (280 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons (40 grams) cornstarch
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) vanilla
- 2/3 cup (158 milliliters) 35% cream
Caramel:
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) water
- 1 cup (225 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (250 milliliters) 35% cream
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) sea salt
- Optional: 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) whiskey
- Optional: Salted pretzel twists for décor
Directions
Crust:
- Heat oven to 350°F (176°C). Spray a 20 centimeter springform pan with cooking spray; set aside.
- Pulse pretzels to coarse crumbs. Add flour, brown sugar and melted butter and pulse just to combine.
- Press mixture into the bottom of prepared springform pan. Bake for ten minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes.
- Wrap outside of pan in plastic wrap followed by tinfoil to within an inch of rim, ensuring plastic wrap is covered completely by tinfoil. Place pan into a 23x33 centimeter baking pan. Boil a kettle of water.
Cheesecake filling:
- Beat one brick cream cheese, 1/4 cup (60 grams) of granulated sugar and cornstarch together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on low, until creamy.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in the remaining bricks of cream cheese and granulated sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
- Increase the speed of the mixer to medium and beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping bowl often. Add vanilla and cream and beat until combined.
- Pour the filling into the cooled crust (already wrapped and set into baking pan). Pour boiling water into pan around cheesecake until half way up the sides of the pan and place in oven. Bake until the edges of the cheesecake are lightly golden and the centre barely jiggles, about 60 to 70 minutes.
- Remove from oven and remove from water bath. Remove foil (to release any trapped water that will make the crust soggy) and cool cake to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least five hours.
Caramel:
- Pour the indicated amount of water into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add granulated sugar and without stirring, allow the water and sugar mixture to boil until golden, about seven to eight minutes. Swirl pan gently near end of cooking time if mixture is browning unevenly.
- Remove the caramel from the heat and carefully whisk in the cream and whiskey (if using). Return the caramel to the heat and cook, stirring frequently over medium-low, until the caramel is thickened, about eight to ten minutes. Once thick, remove the caramel from the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla and salt. Set aside to cool.
- When ready to serve, run a knife around the cheesecake and remove it from the springform pan. Pour about one cup of the caramel over the cheesecake. Serve with extra caramel and pretzel twists, if desired.
