Easy Macadamia Caramel Cheesecake

Instructions

1. preheat oven to 325F. lightly grease a springform cake tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment.
2. to make the base: put the graham crackers through a food processor until crushed, or put in a plastic bag and crush with rolling pin or mallet. mix with the melted butter until a sandy consistency is formed. cover the base of the lined tin and flatten with the back of a spoon to make a level base. pack down the crust.
3. to make the cake batter: mix the sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. whisk until smooth. with the mixer set on a medium setting, add the eggs one at a time. mix in sour cream and mix until smooth.
4. Pour the mixture over the graham cracker base. bake for 60-70 minutes until set. to check if its done, you can insert a fork/skewer in the center and it should come out clean. set aside to cool to room temperature, then you can remove from the tin. i left the cake on the base, but you don’t have to. chill the cake for at least two hours in the fridge.
5. to make the nut topping: scatter the macadamia nuts on a baking sheet and roast in the oven at 325F for about 15 minutes, until golden.
6. Place the sugar in a large saucepan. heat the sugar gently until it turns into a caramel (i know, this is crazy. it turns into caramel). do not stir at any point. the sugar will dissolve into a golden caramel. mix in the nuts and gently coat them in the caramel using a wooden spoon. once covered, pour them on to the lined tray and leave to set. once they are cool, break them apart or chop if desired into smaller bits.
7. to make the caramel sauce: put the butter and sugar into a thick-bottomed saucepan and stir constantly over medium heat until it becomes a smooth, dark caramel. the butter and sugar will look as if they have split. keep stirring, they’ll come back together (its the weirdest thing!!).
8. Once its the color you want, carefully add the cream and stir quickly. remove from the heat and allow to cool. (you could also just use storebought caramel sauce…but this is tastier!)
9. to finish the cake, pour on the caramel sauce into the center and then sprinkle the candied nuts over the top. it will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.