Recipe: Caramel and hazelnut brittle cheesecake

INGREDIENTS

HAZELNUT BRITTLE

100g hazelnuts

100g caster sugar

CARAMEL SAUCE

200g caster sugar

90g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

120 ml double cream

¼ tsp salt

BISCUIT BASE

170g digestive biscuits

80g unsalted butter, melted

CREAM CHEESE TOPPING

400g cream cheese

30g caster sugar

250g double cream

Allergens are marked in bold

Put some baking paper on a baking tray and rub a few drops of oil on it. Start with the hazelnut brittle by heating the sugar in a pan, try and not use a non stick pan for any sugar work. Cook on low heat until the sugar has caramelised to a nice golden colour, then add the hazelnuts to it. Pour this mix over the prepared baking sheet and let it cool completely. Once cool break it into small pieces and blitz it to a coarse brittle. You can prepare this a week in advance and store it in an airtight box.

Next start with the caramel sauce and for that heat the sugar in a pan and once it turns to a lovely golden colour then add the butter and mix well for 2 minutes. Now slowly add the cream to it and stir continuously until all combined. To this add the salt and combine well. Pour this into a clean jar and let it cool completely. You can prepare this a week or 2 before hand and store it in the fridge. It might set but all you have to do is warm it in the microwave for a few seconds to loosen it out.

To make the base of the cheesecake grease an 8 inch round springform cake tin and line with some baking parchment.

Now break the biscuits in a zip lock bag with a rolling pin. Melt the butter in a bowl and add the crushed biscuits to the melted butter and mix well. Now put it in the prepared cake tin and press it down with the back of a spoon or your fingers. Let it set in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Once set prepare the cream cheese topping. Put the cream cheese and sugar in a bowl and beat it until loosen and smooth. To this add the double cream and beat it until it thickens slightly. Now drizzle 4 tbsp of the caramel sauce and 4 tbsp of the brittle and fold it gently. Pour half of this on top of the biscuits, then drizzle 4-5 tbsp of the caramel sauce on top of the mixture, sprinkle 4-5 tbsp of the brittle and then pour the left over cheese mix.

Finish with a drizzle of caramel sauce and sprinkle of the brittle. Let it set in the fridge overnight and serve chilled.