Egg Nog Cheesecake

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 200g digestive biscuits
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 100g unsalted butter, melted
• 500g cream cheese
• 1 cup (220g) caster sugar, plus 2 tbs extra
• 3 eggs
• 300ml thickened cream
• 2 tbs dark rum
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 2 cups (480g) sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Rum sauce

• 1 1/2 cups (330g) light brown sugar
• 1 cinnamon quill
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
• 1 cup (250ml) pure (thin) cream
• 1/4 cup (60ml) dark rum
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.
2. Combine the digestive biscuits and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a food processor and process until fine crumbs form. Add the melted butter and process until the mixture is well combined. Press the biscuit mixture firmly over the base of a 24cm springform pan.
3. Place the cream cheese and caster sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the thickened cream, rum, ground nutmeg, ground cloves and remaining cinnamon, and beat until well combined. Pour over the biscuit base and smooth the surface. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
4. While cheesecake is cooking, place sour cream, vanilla and extra caster sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until combined. Pour over top of cheesecake, then bake for a further 10 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour to cool. Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely. Cover pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
5. For the rum sauce: combine the brown sugar, cinnamon quill, vanilla pod and seeds, and 1/3 cup (80ml) water in a saucepan, then stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden. Remove from heat and carefully add the cream, rum and lemon juice, stirring constantly, to combine. Return to the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Set aside to cool.
6. Serve slices of eggnog cheesecake drizzled with the rum sauce.

Ingredients (serves 10)

• 5 dried figs, coarsely chopped
• 10 small dried apricots
• 5 pieces glace ginger
• 10 whole pecans
• 10 walnut halves
• 10 brazil nuts
• 55g (1/3 cup) dry-roasted hazelnuts
• 60ml (1/4 cup) water
• 370g (1 3/4 cups) caster sugar
• Melted butter, to grease
• 200g Arnott's Granita biscuits
• 100g butter, melted, cooled
• 3 x 250g pkts cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 185ml (3/4 cup) pouring cream
• 60ml (1/4 cup) brandy
• Large pinch of ground nutmeg
• 3 eggs
• 8 red glace cherries

Method

1. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Combine the fig, apricots, ginger, pecans, walnut halves, brazil nuts and hazelnuts in a bowl. Spread over the lined tray. Place the water and 155g (3/4 cup) sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high. Bring to the boil. Cook, without stirring, brushing down the side of pan occasionally with a pastry brush dipped in water, for 5-7 minutes or until golden (see tip 1). Carefully drizzle the toffee over the nut mixture. Set aside to cool completely (see tip 2).
2. Preheat oven to 150°C. Release the base from a 22cm (base measurement) springform pan and invert. Line the base with non-stick baking paper. Secure back into the pan, allowing the paper to overhang. Brush the side of the pan with melted butter and line with non-stick baking paper.
3. Place the biscuits in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the butter and process until combined. Press the biscuit mixture over the base of the prepared pan. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
4. Use an electric beater to beat the cream cheese, vanilla and remaining sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the cream, brandy and nutmeg. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition until just combined.
5. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the prepared pan. Place on a baking tray. Bake in oven for 1 hour or until just set in the centre. Turn oven off. Leave the cheesecake in oven, with the door ajar, for 2 hours or until cooled completely (this will prevent the cake from cracking). Release from pan. Place in an airtight container in the fridge overnight to chill.
6. Break the praline into coarse pieces. Arrange praline and cherries on top of the cheesecake to serve.

Notes

• 
  Make it ahead: Prepare this recipe to the end of step 1 up to 2 days ahead. Store the praline, in a single layer, in a large airtight container lined with non-stick baking paper. Continue to the end of step 5, 1 day ahead. Continue from step 6 just before serving. Cook's tip: Use a knife dipped in hot water to cut the cheesecake, reheating and drying the knife between slices. Tip 1: Be careful not to overcook the toffee - it's ready when it turns golden. If it's dark and smells burnt, you need to start again. Tip 2: Spread the fruit and nut mixture over the tray. Allow toffee to run between the pieces, otherwise the praline won't set.