I have to admit I have always been a fan of baked cheesecake. I decided to make this one for a birthday as I had a craving for toffee and pecan nuts and thought it would go well with a New York style cheesecake. It was a big hit with everyone, and not that difficult to make. A smooth velvety cheesecake with a nutty and sweet toffee topping.
Some people use water baths or go to great lengths for the cheesecake not to crack. If you’re using a topping it really doesn’t matter, but the simplest way to prevent it from cracking is to leave the cheesecake in the oven while it cools. This way it cools gently and stops the cheesecake from any big changes in it’s structure. It actually tastes better once refrigerated, about 4 hours will be enough although I usually make baked cheesecakes the day before so I allow it to be refrigerated overnight.
This cheesecake is absolutely heavenly especially if you like the combination of toffee and pecan nuts, and one that will be impossible to have just the one piece.
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Pin recipe Ingredients
For the crust
- 200 g digestive biscuits
- 85 g butter
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
For the filling
- 750 g full fat cream cheese
- 3 large eggs plus 1 yolk
- 200g light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- zest of 1 lemon (about 1½ tsp)
- 3 tbsp plain flour
- 170 ml sour cream
For the topping
- 100 g pecan nuts
- 50 g fudge
- 100 g butter
- 100 g light brown sugar
- 140 ml double cream
For the crust
- 7 oz digestive biscuits
- 3 oz butter
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
For the filling
- 1½ lb full fat cream cheese
- 3 large eggs plus 1 yolk
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- zest of 1 lemon (about 1½ tsp)
- 3 tbsp plain flour
- ¾ cup sour cream
For the topping
- 3½ oz pecan nuts
- 2 oz fudge
- 3½ oz butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C (355F) fan oven. Roast the pecan nuts on a tray for about 5 minutes, until you can smell them.
- On a food processor blitz the digestive biscuits until it has a sandy consistency. Melt the butter in a microwave on a low power for about a minute until it is all molten. Add to the biscuits, together with the sugar and cinnamon. Blend until it is all incorporated. Line a 22cm (9 inch) springform tin with butter and pour the biscuit base. Cover the bottom evenly and press down gently. Bake for about 10 minutes, and then take out and allow to cool on a wire rack while you prepare the filling.
- Turn up the temperature of the oven to 200C (390F) fan oven.
- In another bowl, pour the cream cheese and beat until it has been softened and is well mixed. Add the sugar and beat until the sugar is dissolved and incorporated. If using an electric mixer this will only take a couple of minutes, by hand it may take longer.
- Add the eggs and the egg yolk to a small bowl and lightly beat but try not to do it too hard in order to not incorporate much air in. Add to the cream cheese mixture together with the lemon zest and vanilla extract. Whisk with the mixer for a minute until it has all blended well.
- Fold in the flour, sift if possible so you don’t get any lumps and incorporate gently until it is well mixed but without beating. Add the sour cream by gently folding in.
- Pour the mixture to the biscuit base and bake for 12 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 90C (195F) fan oven for about 30 minutes.
- Once it is done turn off the temperature and allow to cool for about 2 hours so it cools very gently and avoids major cracking. If you like the cheesecake creamy in the centre then open the open door slightly and allow to cool, if you like it firm then leave the door closed for an hour and ajar for another hour.
- In the meantime prepare the toffee sauce by adding the butter to a pan, on a medium heat. Once it has melted add the sugar and stir until it all dissolves into the butter. Add the cream stir until it is well blended in and take off the heat.
Baked cheesecake with toffee & pecan nuts assembly - To assemble the cheesecake once it is completely cold, take the cheesecake off the springform tin, lightly sprinkle the toffee sauce on top. Roughly chop the pecan nuts which will give it depth and crunch. Dice the fudge into ½ cm (¼ inch) chunks. Add the pecans and fudge on top of the toffee sauce.
Baked cheesecake with toffee & pecan nuts slice
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