CARAMEL AND MACADAMIA CHEESECAKE

OMG!!! These were the first words uttered by the people who tried this cake! And it is certainly out of this world... It is light and sweet and you can't stop eating it. Another fantastic recipe from Ottolenghi. I have adapted his recipe to do some of the steps with the Thermomix, so you can find both methods for making it below. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do 😍😋!

Ingredients

600g good-quality cream cheese, at room temperature
120g caster sugar
½ vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla paste 
4 eggs, lightly beaten
60ml sour cream
icing sugar, for dusting

Base
160g dry biscuits (HobNobs or digestive biscuits are good)
40g unsalted butter, melted

Nut topping
150g macadamia nuts
90g caster sugar

Caramel sauce
65g unsalted butter
160g caster sugar
100ml whipping cream

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/Gas Mark 3. Lightly grease a 20cm springform cake tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment.

Traditional Method

To make the base, whiz the biscuits to crumbs in a food processor (or put them in a plastic bag and bash with a mallet or rolling pin). Mix with the melted butter to a wet, sandy consistency. Transfer to the lined tin and flatten with the back of a tablespoon to create a level base.

To make the cake batter, put the cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl. Slit the vanilla pod lengthways in half and, using a sharp knife, scrape out the seeds into the bowl. Whisk by hand or, more easily, with an electric mixer, until smooth. Gradually add the eggs and soured cream, whisking until smooth. Pour the mixture over the biscuit base and place in the oven. 

Thermomix

Place butter in mixing bowl and melt 2 min/90°C/speed 1.

Add biscuits then chop 15 sec/speed 8. Transfer to prepared tin, pressing down with the back of a spoon forming an even layer over base. Clean mixing bowl and make filling.

Place the cream cheese and sugar then beat 20 sec/speed 5.5.

Add eggs, vanilla extract and sour cream then mix 15 sec/speed 6. Place tin on a large baking tray then pour mixture over the biscuit base and place in the oven.

Bake for 60-70 minutes, until set; a skewer inserted in the centre should come out with a slightly wet crumb attached. 

Leave to cool to room temperature, then turn out of the tin. Removing the cake from its base can be a little tricky. You can leave it there and serve from the base, if you prefer. Otherwise, get a flat 20cm cake board and gently squeeze it between the base of the cake and the lining paper. As a last resort, get a couple of fish slices and someone to help you lift the whole thing on to a flat serving plate. Now chill the cake for at least a couple of hours.

To prepare the nut topping, scatter the nuts over a baking sheet and roast in the oven at 160°C/140°C fan/Gas Mark 3 for about 15 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and set aside. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. 

Place a large saucepan on a medium-high heat and, once quite hot, sprinkle in a third of the caster sugar to cover the base – it should immediately start to melt at the sides but not brown too quickly. Swirl the sugar in the pan a little, then add another third of the sugar, allowing it to melt a little before adding the remaining third. Turn the heat down to medium and cook until the sugar is an amber caramel, stirring with a spatula just a couple of times (but not much more). Add the macadamias, stirring to coat, then quickly transfer the mixture to your parchment-lined tray and leave to cool completely. Break bits off and chop them very roughly with a large knife. It’s nice to leave some of the nuts just halved or even whole.

The first time I made it, I cooked the toffee for a bit too long. It was slightly bitter, but with the sweetness of the caramel, it actually worked quite well!

Traditional Method

To make the sauce, put the butter and sugar in a thick-bottomed saucepan and stir constantly over a medium heat with a wooden spoon until it becomes a smooth, dark caramel. The butter and sugar will look as if they have split. Don’t worry; just keep on stirring. Once the desired colour is reached, carefully add the cream while stirring vigorously. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Thermomix

To make the Caramel sauce, place soft brown sugar, cream and butter in mixing bowl then, with simmering basket in place of measuring cup, cook 10 min/Varoma/speed 2. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool.

To finish the cake, dust the edges and sides with plenty of icing sugar. Spoon the sauce in the centre, allowing it to spill over a little. 

Scatter lots of caramelised nuts on top. The cheesecake will keep in the fridge for 3 days.

Notes from the author

There are various stages to making this but don’t be intimidated: you can get well ahead so there need be no pressure. The whole cake can be made and kept in the fridge for up to 2 days before serving, or you can also make the various elements in advance and then put the cake together the day you want to eat it. Make the sauce on the day you are assembling the cake, though, as it will set too firm in the fridge and you won’t be able to pour it.