CHEESECAKE!

The four of us all ate together tonight, which doesn't happen that often.  Ryan made us all delicious chicken corn chowder, and for dessert Brian made us his homemade cheesecake!  I am a big fan of cheesecake, and when Brian makes it from scratch, it's even more amazing.  It's hard to believe Brian made cheesecake for the very first time in his life just a week or two ago...  it's so decadent!

And you can make it too, if you want!  Brian's obliged to share his recipe with my blog readers.  What a nice guy, huh?  Well, here goes.  Enjoy!


Brian's Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce and Almonds

Ingredients:

• 18 Oreo Cookies
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 1/2 packages (20 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar, plus 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Optional: chopped almonds (or other nut)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and place oven rack in the middle position.
2. Place Oreos in blender or food processor and chop until crumbs.
3. Combine melted butter with Oreo crumbs and pack into the bottom of a round cake pan (you may want to line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal).
4. Bake the crust for ten minutes, allow to cool on a rack.
5. In a large mixing bowl, on low speed, mix the cream cheese with a hand blender for about a minute.
6. Add the 1 cup sugar, salt, flour, and vanilla.  Blend on low speed until incorporated.
7. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until each egg is incorporated.
8. Pour the filling over the cooled crust.
9. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 200 degrees and bake for 35 minutes more.
10. Remove cheesecake from oven and place on a cooling rack (cheesecake will not look set, but it is done).
11. Cool for 30 minutes at room temperature.
12. Smooth out any cracks that have formed by dipping a knife in hot water and running it over the top of the cheesecake.
13. Continue to cool at room temperature for an hour.
14. Place in the freezer overnight.
15. Dip the base of the cake pan in hot water to release the cake from the pan.  Run a knife along the edge and gently unmold the cake onto your hand, inverting it onto a serving platter.
16. In a stainless steel heavy-bottomed sauce pan, add the 1/2 cup sugar and 2 Tablespoons water.
17. Place over medium-high heat, swirl the pan constantly, until the sugar has dissolved (DO NOT STIR).
18. Allow to boil, swirling the pan every so often until deeply amber in color.
19. Pull off the heat and swirl in the cream.  Mixture will bubble ferociously.  BE CAREFUL!
20. With a spoon, stir the mixture until smooth.  
21. Set over ice water, stirring to set the consistency.
22. Pour the caramel sauce over the top of the cheesecake and top with chopped almonds.
23. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or at room temperature for about an hour.