Ingredients:
- 300g Digestive biscuits or Shortbread cookies, crushed
- 115g Unsalted butter, melted
- 25g Granulated sugar
- 0.5 tsp Sea salt
- 397g Sweetened condensed milk
- 150g Light brown sugar
- 150g Unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp Corn syrup
- 900g Full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 200g Granulated sugar
- 200g Sour cream, room temperature
- 1 tbsp Vanilla bean paste
- 4 Large eggs, room temperature
- 200g Dark chocolate (60% cocoa), finely chopped
- 200ml Heavy cream
- 1 tsp Flaky sea salt
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Combine crushed shortbread, 115g melted butter, 25g sugar, and sea salt. Press firmly into a parchment-lined 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes and cool completely.
- Prepare the caramel by combining condensed milk, brown sugar, 150g butter, and corn syrup in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until it reaches a thick, mahogany consistency. Pour over the cooled crust and chill until set.
- Beat the room-temperature cream cheese and 200g sugar until smooth. Incorporate sour cream and vanilla bean paste. Add eggs one at a time on low speed to avoid incorporating air.
- Pour the cheesecake batter over the set caramel layer. Place the springform pan in a water bath (roasting pan filled with hot water halfway up the sides).
- Bake at 325°F (160°C) for approximately 60-70 minutes until the edges are set but the center has a slight wobble. Turn off the oven and leave the door ajar for 1 hour to cool slowly.
- Heat 200ml heavy cream until simmering; pour over chopped dark chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Pour over the chilled cheesecake.
- Chill the completed cheesecake for at least 6 hours (ideally overnight) before slicing with a hot knife.