Vanilla Cheesecake with Caramel Topping


Ingredients
Crust
1-1/2 cups/375 mL graham cracker crumbs
6 tbsp/90 mL unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup/60 mL brown sugar
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Cinnamon (6 oz)


Filling
4 packages (8 oz/227 gm each) reduced-calorie cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups/375 mL sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
1 tbsp/15 mL Original Double-Strength Vanilla (11 oz)
2 tsp/10 mL fresh lemon juice


Topping
1/3 cup/80 mL light corn syrup
2/3 cup/160 mL brown sugar
2 tbsp/30 mL butter
1/8 tsp/0.6 mL salt
1/3 cup/80 mL heavy whipping cream or evaporated milk
1 tsp/5 mL Caramel Extract
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Original Double-Strength Vanilla (11 oz)

Garnish
2 cups/500 mL sweetened whipped cream
2 packages (1.4 oz./40 g each) toffee candy bars broken into pieces


Cooking Directions
Crust
Combine all ingredients; mix well. Press crumbs over bottom and up
sides of a lightly buttered 9-inch/23-cm springform pan with
2-3/4-inch/7-cm sides. Refrigerate crust while preparing filling.

Filling
Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add the
sugar and beat until smooth, scraping down sides occasionally. Beat in
eggs, one at a time. Mix in vanilla and lemon juice. Pour filling into
chilled crust. Bake at 350ºF/180ºC for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or
until cake rises about 1/2 inch/1 cm over rim and center moves only
slightly when shaken. Cool in pan on wire rack. (Cake will fall as it
cools, sinking slightly in center.) Cover and refrigerate until well
chilled, at least 6 hours.

Topping
Combine first four ingredients in heavy saucepan. Cook over medium
heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil and all of
the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool slightly, just until
mixture begins to thicken. Slowly whisk in cream until blended. Stir in
extracts; mix well. Let cool completely.

Garnish
To assemble cheesecake: Using a sharp knife, cut around sides of
springform pan to loosen cheesecake. Release pan sides. Pour 1/3 cup/80
mL of Caramel Topping into center of cheesecake. (Refrigerate and save
remaining sauce as a topping for ice cream.) Chill cheesecake until
caramel topping is almost set, about 2 hours. Just prior to serving,
garnish cheesecake edges with an attractive piping of whipped cream.
Arrange toffee pieces in whipped cream border. Cut cake into small
wedges. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Makes 16 servings.

www.watkinsonline.com
Sheryl Siminoff
Consultant ID #365779