Snickers Cheesecake

I'm very excited to unveil a recipe that I've actually been developing for a little while now.

Wow, that sounded very professional and foodie-like didn't it? Don't let me fool you. What it actually means is that I've tried to make a Snickers Cheesecake of some description a few times, none of which came out how I wanted them to. And after each attempt, I verbally abused all of my kitchen equipment and decided I didn't really like Snickers anyway!

My first attempt was a for a fresh cheesecake (that is, not baked) with a soft peanut nougat layer, a caramel layer and a chocolate biscuit base. Sounds great, doesn't it? It wasn't.




This is what happens when you try to use a continental cheesecake packet mix,. An atrocity against cheesecakes.

My next few attempts were much better and I stuck to my guns to produce the beauty I now present to you.

Firstly, I decided to ditch the no-bake idea. I love fresh cheesecakes, but I've never actually been able to produce one that's not powdery and doesn't collapse. If you have mastered it, send on the recipe. Or better still, drop one round!

Much, much better!

Sadly, I also had to ditch the nougat layer, but the good news is I worked out a way to get the nougat flavours into the actual cheesecake. And well, wow! It produced a sweet, very vanilla-y, slightly peanutty cheesecake flavour, which you must, must try. Seriously it's so good you could just mix up the ingredients and eat it out of the bowl if you can't be bothered with the rest. Of course, I'm guessing.

Obviously, the caramel and peanuts had to stay, or it wouldn't be anything like a Snickers. But the good news is, together they make a great layer over the cheesecake filling and its really, really easy.

Chocolate biscuit and peanut butter base, sweet vanilla and peanutty cheesecake, layered with caramel, more peanuts and chocolate.  

Now, you'll be wondering by now whether it was actually me who produced this, having previously professed my love for the shortcut, a hatred of recipes with lots of steps, and being too lazy for hard-to-find-and-use ingredients. Well, let me assure you, it's all me and that there is a method to this apparent madness.

Firstly, this cheesecake keeps so well that you can make it in stages, keep it in the fridge and come back to finish it when you need it. Each step is really simple and there is only one ingredient that is a P.I.A.

This stuff is hard to find, messy and (if you are in Sydney) expensive. You'll thank me later though!

Hello, Marshmallow Fluff. I understand this is like jam in the USA and other countries, but in Sydney, you usually have to mortgage your house to a shady convenience store owner in the inner city to get your hands on some. The good news is, I've seen it at Woolies at Town Hall and I've just checked their online store and it's there and on special. You're welcome.

Finally, I must thank Jessica of How Sweet Eats for her recipe for Homemade Snickers, the inspiration for this cheesecake. If you can't be bothered with the cheesecake, I urge you to make the Homemade Snickers instead. It's one of my favourite recipes - it's easy and absolutely delicious.

But, back to the Snickers Cheesecake. Make it, love it, email me to find out where to send my flowers!!

Snickers Cheesecake

There's vanilla nougat-y flavours, caramel and peanuts hiding in there!

Ingredients

Base

500g plain chocolate biscuits
2/3 cup peanut butter
50g melted butter
Extra butter for greasing tin

Filling

750g cream cheese
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup marshmallow filling
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 eggs
1/3 cup sour cream

Caramel Peanut Layer

400g caramels
1/4 cup thickened cream
1 cup salted peanuts

Chocolate Topping

1 block (200g) milk chocolate
1 heaped teaspoon peanut butter

Instructions

To make the base

Prepare a 20 cm round spring form cake tin by lightly greasing the bottom and sides with butter. If you want to remove the base before serving, place foil over it before locking the top into place.

Process biscuits until they resemble small crumbs. Melt peanut butter and butter in the microwave (approx 1-2 minutes, depending on your microwave). Pour butter and peanut butter onto the biscuit crumbs and mix through. It look like wet, glossy dark brown sand.

Press the biscuit mixture into the tin, coaxing it all the way up the sides.

In the pictures above, I didn't extend the base up the sides because I wanted to show off the layers but it is easier and neater if you cover the sides with the base - it will hold the layers together when you cut it. If however, you want to show off the layers, half the recipe for the base.

Place the prepared base in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

To make the cheesecake filling

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Place the cream cheese in a standing mixer (or alternatively in a bowl for hand-mixing) and beat on low speed until soft.

Keep beating on low speed and add the rest of the ingredients for the filling, one by one. Make sure that it is well combined before adding each ingredient. Try not to increase the speed of the beater too much or you will add air to the mixture. You want a smooth creamy consistency.

Remove the base from the fridge and pour the filling into it. Smooth over the top. It will be quite full, but don't worry!

Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Once baked, it will be puffy around the outsides but still loose and "jiggly" in the centre. Turn off the oven and cool the cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar, then refrigerate for 3 hours or preferably, overnight.

To make the caramel peanut layer  

Place caramels and cream in a small saucepan on medium heat. Stir until melted and combined. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 1-2 minutes.

Remove cold cheesecake from the fridge but leave it in the tin. Pour slightly cooled caramel over the cheesecake, then sprinkle peanuts over the caramel, pressing them down gently.  Place it back into the fridge until the caramel is cold to the touch.

To make the Chocolate Layer

Melt the chocolate in the microwave until it reaches pouring consistency. Usually 1-2 minutes. Remove from the microwave and add peanut butter, stirring until it is also melted and combined.

Remove the cheesecake from the fridge and pour the chocolate over the caramel peanut layer. Place back into the fridge for the chocolate to set.

Once set, remove the cheesecake carefully from the tin and use a hot knife to cut the cheesecake into the pieces you require. Or else, just get the biggest fork you can find. I won't judge!

Messy but delicious. Extending the base up the sides will make it much neater.