Salted caramel cheesecake

Method

• step 1

  Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm round, springform cake tin with butter and parchment.

• step 2

  First, make the salted caramel. Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Sprinkle over the caster sugar and swirl the pan so it evenly covers the base. Without stirring, allow the sugar to melt to a deep golden, adjusting the heat, if needed, to further melt the sugar. Carefully add the cream and butter. Return to a medium heat and leave to bubble, stirring occasionally, until you have a smooth caramel. Approx. 1-2 mins When cool enough to taste, season with a pinch of sea salt. Pour into a sterilised jar and set aside.

• step 3

  Blitz the gingernut biscuits and ground ginger in a food processor to a fine crumb. Mix in the almonds and butter until well combined, then tip into the prepared bake tin and smooth with the back of a dessert spoon. Chill in the fridge until needed.

• step 4

  Gently melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of boiling water. In a separate large bowl, use an electric whisk to beat the cream, cream cheese and icing sugar together for 1-2mins until it holds it shape. Fold through the white chocolate. Spoon half the mix over the biscuit base then drizzle over 4 tablespoons of salted caramel and top with the remaining cheesecake batter. Smooth the top, cover and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hrs or up to 48 hrs.

• step 5

  For the brittle, lightly oil a small baking tray. Add the almonds to a frying pan set over a medium-high heat and toast for 1-2 mins until very lightly golden. Remove from the pan then Sprinkle over the sugar and swirl the pan, allowing it to evenly caramelise to a deep golden colour. Approx 3-4 mins Return to the heat briefly, if needed, to encourage the sugar to caramelise. Pour onto the baking tray, sprinkle over the almonds and cool fully until hard, before snapping into shards.

• step 6

  When the cheesecake is set, remove it from the tin onto a serving plate. Top with caramel, encouraging it to drip down the sides with a teaspoon. Any leftover caramel will keep in the fridge for up to 1 month. Pile the popcorn in the middle and top with the almond brittle, white chocolate chunks and a sprinkle of sea salt. The cheesecake will keep in the fridge for up to 2 hours before serving.