Peanut Butter Maple Caramel Cheesecake

Peanut Butter Maple Caramel Cheesecake

Cheesecake.

• • 1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided

  • 1 envelope unflavored gelatin

  • 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped, or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

  • 1 pound cream cheese, room temperature

Caramel.

• • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon maple extract

  • 1 cup powdered sugar

  • salted peanuts

Crust.

Preheat the oven to 325 F. In a bowl, combine the graham crackers and salt. Drizzle with the melted butter and toss with a fork until moistened. Press against the bottom of an 8 or 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 12 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool while you make the filling.

Filling.

Pour 1/4 cup cream into a microwave-safe dish. Stir in the gelatin and let stand for 5 minutes; it will be thick and clumpy. Microwave on high for 30 seconds to dissolve the gelatin and stir with a fork.

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the remaining 1 1/4 cups cream with the vanilla at medium-high speed until soft peaks form, gradually adding the powdered sugar as the cream thickens. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the cream cheese and gelatin mixture to the mixing bowl and beat until smooth and thick with no lumps. Immediately spread over the crust and smooth out the top. Refrigerate for about 4-6 hours, until set.

Caramel.

In a saucepan over medium low heat, warm the peanut butter, butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, cream, vanilla and maple extracts, whisking occasionally until the ingredients are melted and smooth. Whisk in the powdered sugar and cook, whisking occasionally to smooth out the sugar, for about 5 minutes, until bubbly and thick. Pour into a glass jar and let cool to room temperature.

(This recipe yields about 1 1/2 cups of caramel; refrigerate any unused caramel for topping ice cream or cake.

After the cheesecake is set, remove from the springform pan. Drizzle with the caramel and sprinkle with peanuts.

Recipe from Curly Girl Kitchen