Caramel Cheesecake

Caramel cheesecake is a creamy and delicious dessert, with a crunchy biscuit base and a sweet, sticky caramel topping. Here’s how to prepare it, with a small Italian touch.

Ingredients

• 200 g of digestive biscuits or Graham crackers
• 100 g of melted butter
• 600 g of cream cheese, like Philadelphia
• 150 g of sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt

For the caramel:

• 150 g of sugar
• 90 g of butter, room temperature
• 120 ml of fresh cream

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the cheesecake base: finely chop the biscuits in a mixer, or in a sealable bag with the help of a rolling pin. In a bowl, mix the crumbled biscuits with the melted butter until you have a homogeneous mixture.
2. Press the biscuit mixture into the bottom of a springform pan, previously buttered or lined with parchment paper, creating an even layer. Place it in the refrigerator to harden while you prepare the filling.
3. Meanwhile, with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, the vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, continuing to mix until the mixture is uniform.
4. Pour the cheese filling over the biscuit base and level the surface.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 160 °C for about 50-60 minutes or until the cheesecake is firm at the edges but slightly wobbly in the center.
6. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly, and let the cheesecake cool inside to avoid cracking on the surface.
7. Once cooled, put the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or better, overnight.

For the caramel:

1. To make the caramel, pour the sugar into a saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until you have an amber liquid.
2. Add the butter, cut into cubes, and mix until it is completely melted.
3. Slowly pour in the fresh cream (be careful of splashes) and continue stirring until the caramel is smooth and well blended.
4. Let the caramel cool for a few minutes, then pour it over the cooled cheesecake.

Before serving, let the cheesecake set for at least an hour in the refrigerator so that the caramel slightly hardens.

Curiosity

Cheesecake is a dessert with very ancient roots; some say it was even served to the participants of the first Olympic Games of ancient Greece! However, the modern version we’re accustomed to, especially with the addition of caramel, is a more recent creation, popularized in the United States.