Caramel Hazelnut Cheesecake Recipes

CARAMEL CHEESECAKE WITH HAZELNUT CRUST

Steps:

• Make this cake one day ahead.
• For crust: Wrap foil tightly around outside of a 9-inch round springform pan.
• In food processor, blend hazelnuts and sugar together until ground finely.
• Mix in the melted butter until it forms moist clumps.
• Press onto the bottom of the pan only. Do not coat the sides.
• For filling: Preheat oven to 350 F (325 F for dark pans).
• Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together in a large bowl until well mixed.
• Add the eggs one at a time, and beat just until well blended.
• Pour filling into the pan.
• Bake until cheesecake is puffy and the edges are set. The center should still wobble ever so slightly when gently shaking the pan, about 50 minutes.
• Set pan onto a wire rack, and run a sharp knife around the edges.
• Cool cake completely.
• Remove the foil. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• For caramel sauce: Mix sugar and water in a heavy-duty medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Raise the heat to high, and boil without stirring until the syrup becomes a deep amber color. While heating, brush down the sides of the pan occasionally with a wet pastry brush. Also, occasionally swirl the pan. The whole process should take about 7 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and carefully add the cream (the mixture will bubble).
• Keep boiling until the sauce is reduced to 2 cups, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool completely.
• Evenly distribute 1/2 cup of the caramel sauce on top of the cheesecake, leaving a 1/2-inch border from the edges.
• Place hazelnuts around the outside edges.
• Cover and chill until the topping is fully set, about 2 hours.
• (Can be prepared 1 day ahead, if you keep cheesecake covered and chilled. Refrigerate any remaining sauce.).
• To serve: Remove sides of pan, and transfer cake to serving plate.
• Rewarm remaining sauce just until pourable but not warm.
• Cut cheesecake into slices. Pass around the sauce separately.

CARAMEL-HAZELNUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Wrap foil tightly around outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Blend hazelnuts and sugar in food processor until nuts are finely ground. Add melted butter; blend until moist clumps form. Press nut mixture onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan.
• For filling:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Pour filling over crust. Bake until cheesecake puffs and is set around sides but center still moves slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 50 minutes. Transfer cheesecake to rack. Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Cool cake completely. Remove foil from pan. Cover with plastic and chill overnight.
• For caramel sauce:
• Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Boil sauce until reduced to 2 cups, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool. Spoon 1/2 cup caramel sauce evenly over top of cheesecake, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Arrange additional hazelnuts decoratively around outside edge of cake. Cover and refrigerate cheesecake until topping sets, about 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep cheesecake refrigerated. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce.) Release pan sides from cheesecake. Transfer cake to platter. Rewarm remaining sauce just until pourable but not warm. Slice cheesecake. Serve, passing sauce separately.

GLUTEN-FREE HAZELNUT CHEESECAKE WITH SALTED CARAMEL GLAZE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325. Make the crust: Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until mixture looks like coarse pea-size crumbs, about 10 to 15 seconds.
• Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes; set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for the filling in the bowl of the food processor and purée until smooth. Pour the mixture into the cooled crust and bake for 1 hour, or until set in the center, up to 15 minutes longer. Let cool and then chill until fully set, preferably overnight.
• Make the glaze: put the sugar and the water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and allow the sugar to caramelize. When the mixture is a medium-amber color, about 8 minutes, pull the pot off the heat and add the heavy cream. When the bubbles subside, add the butter. Continue stirring until all the butter has been incorporated; add salt to season and let cool.
• Remove the cake from the refrigerator and release from the pan. Pour the warm glaze over it to serve.