RICH CARAMEL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• For the crust:.
• Combine butter and crumbs, mixing well with a fork. Press into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan.
• For the caramel:.
• Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add zest and stir well. Cover with a lid and cook until sugar turns a medium amber color, about 3-6 minutes after mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir 30 seconds. Slowly stir in cream, being careful to avoid spatters. Set aside.
• For the cheesecake:.
• Beat cream cheese and both sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until soft and fluffy. Add vanilla and salt. Add eggs one at a time, beating on lowest speed of mixer just until incorporated.
• Pour two-thirds of batter over crust. remove zest from caramel and beat caramel mixture into remaining batter. Pour caramel batter over plain batter in pan and swirl mixtures with a rubber spatula.
• Place in center of the oven and bake for about 50 minutes, or until edges are firm but middle still Wiggles. Remove from oven and cool. Chill.
• Beat the 1 cup whipping cream till stiff and spraed on chilled cake.
• OPTIONAL --.
• Garnish:.
• Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Boil until mixture is light brown and a small amount dropped in cold water forms a brittle ball. Remove from heat and immediately pour into 2 9-inch circles, on a well-buttered cookie sheet pan.
• When the caramel starts to harden, cut each circle into six wedges a sharp knife. As caramel continues to harden, recut the wedges several times.
• Slide the tip of a sharp knife under a wedge and remove from plate.
• Place on a buttered cookie sheet to continue cooling. Continue with remaining panes. Some may break. Save six of the most attractive panes for the decoration.
• Just before serving, placing panes vertically into the cheesecake.