Salted Caramel Cheesecake

I signed into my Facebook account one day and saw a message.  It was one of my friends requesting a cheesecake for her husband's birthday.  Of course it wasn't just any cheesecake, it was a salted caramel cheesecake.  Ummm...YES!!

The cheesecake recipe I use is from Food for A Hungry Soul.  Each time I make it, I experiment, making my own tweeks to it, and so far, I have not been disappointed.

One of the most important things about making a cheesecake is making sure the cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, and butter reach room temperature.  I didn't let my cream cheese get to room temperature once and I had a nice, lumpy cheesecake (it was still delicious.)

Ingredients

5 large eggs, room temperature

1 pint sour cream, room temperature

4 8oz. packages of cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tbsps. cornstarch

1 1/2 tsps. vanilla extract

1 tsp. lemon juice 

1 tsp. grated lemon zest 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 F.
2. Butter the inside of a 10-inch springform pan.  Wrap it with two layers of foil.  Place the pan in a slow cooker bag and create a knot so that it stays around the pan.
3. In a bowl, beat the eggs and sour cream, with an electric mixer, until well blended.
4. In a stand mixer (or another bowl), beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.  Add the mixture to the egg and sour cream mix.  Beat until smooth and well blended.
5. Add the remaining ingredients and beat for approximately 2 minutes.
6. Pour mixture into the springform and place it in a roasting pan large enough so that the sides of the springform do not touch the roasting pan.  Place it in the oven and pour hot water into the roasting pan (should reach halfway up the side of the springform.)
7. Bake for 2 hours and 15 minutes.  
8. Carefully remove the roasting pan out from the oven, then remove the springform pan from the roasting pan.  Allow to cool for about 4 hours.  Refrigerate overnight.

While the cheesecake is baking, or cooling, make the salted caramel sauce to pour over that lovely cheesecake!

If all went well with your cheesecake, it should be flawless.  If it has a few cracks in it, don't worry.  This was the first time mine came out perfectly. =)

Once it has cooled, release the springform, and carefully transfer your cheesecake onto your platter.  Pour your salted caramel and watch how it drips down the sides.

Put it back in the fridge for approximately 10 minutes and then you can cut into it and enjoy!