HAWAIIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• To make crust: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Butter a 10-inch springform pan and dust with granulated sugar-knock out excess.
• In a shallow baking pan toast nuts in middle of oven until golden, around 6-7 minutes.
• Be careful though, they can burn fast.
• Finely chop nuts and transfer to a bowl.
• Stir in a pinch of salt and all remaining ingredients except butter.
• Mix well.
• Melt butter and drizzle over crust mixture, tossing with a fork.
• Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and press evenly onto bottom and 3/4 the way up the sides of pan.
• Bake crust in middle of oven for 10 minutes.
• Remove and cool on a wire rack.
• Set aside.
• Reduce oven to 325 degrees.
• To make filling: Peel and core pineapple.
• Cut pineapple into 1/4 inch dice and in a 3 quart saucepan cook with brown sugar over medium low heat, uncovered, for about 40 minutes.
• You want it cooked down and almost dry-on the sticky side.
• In a large bowl beat together the cream cheese and granulated sugar until fluffy.
• Add creme fraiche and pineapple, beating until well combined.
• Add eggs 1 at a time, beating at low speed after each addition until just combined.
• Pour filling into crust, smoothing top and bake on a baking sheet in middle of oven until filling is set and top is lightly browned, around 80 minutes.
• Transfer cake in pan to a wire rack and cool completely.
• Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Remove cake from fridge, remove plastic wrap and run a knife around sides.
• Remove side of pan and transfer cake to a serving platter.
• In a baking pan toast coconut and 1/4 cup of chopped macadamia nuts, stirring occasionally until golden-around 8 minutes.
• Cool.
• In a bowl stir together sour cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla.
• Spread sour cream mixture gently over top of cake.
• Sprinkle toasted coconut-macadamia nut mixture over top of sour-cream mixture.