Salted Caramel Cheesecake

Source: Food & Wine, Oct. 2004

Ingredients

• ½ lb. Cream Cheese, At Room Temperature
• ½ cup Sugar
• 3 large Eggs, At Room Temperature
• ½ cup Sour Cream
• 6 Light Corn Syrup
• ½ cup Sugar
• 3 Unsalted Butter
• ½ cup Heavy Cream
• Fleur De Sel (Or Sea Salt)

Method

1. Make the Cheesecake: Preheat the oven to 325. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, then beat in the sour cream. Pour the batter into six 5-oz ramekins or custard cups.

2. Set the ramekins in a small pan and set the pan in the center of the oven. Add enough hot water to the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake the cheesecakes for 10 minutes, until set at the edges but still quite jiggly in the center. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecakes in for 1 hour. Transfer the ramekins to a rack and let cool completely.

3. Meanwhile, make the caramel. In a heavy medium saucepan, heat the corn syrup. Stir in the sugar and cook over moderately high heat, undisturbed, until a deep amber caramel forms, about 9 minutes (lower heat on the Seattle stove). Off the heat, carefully stir in the butter with a long-handled wooden spoon. Stir in the cream in a thin stream. Transfer the caramel to a heatproof pitcher and let cool. Stir in ¾ tsp of fleur de sel.

4. Pour 1½ tbsp of the caramel over each cheesecake and swirl to coat the tops. If the caramel is too thick, warm it in a microwave oven at 10-second intervals. Refrigerate the cheesecakes until chilled, at least 3 hours. Sprinkle with fleur de sel just before serving.

Notes

Make ahead. The cheesecakes can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.