Bruleed Vanilla-Bean Cheesecake

From: Martha Stewart

Join Assistant Food Editor Lindsay Strand as she makes a fresh vanilla-bean cheesecake with a crunchy and caramelized top; all decorated with a spun sugar crown that makes a show-stopping dessert.
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Creme brulee meets cheesecake in this rich yet airy tart. While it's wonderful solo, a spun sugar flourish makes the dessert a true showstopper. 

1 hour 5 mins 20 mins 8

Total Time Prep Servings 

Ingredients

Crust

• 12 graham crackers, broken into pieces
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped, or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1/4 cup superfine sugar
• Spun Sugar

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Directions

1. 
   

   Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse crackers with granulated sugar and salt until finely ground. (You should have about 1 1/2 cups.) Add butter; pulse until combined. Transfer to a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom; firmly press into bottom and up sides. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake until crust is dry and set, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
   
   
2. 
   

   Filling: Place cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla seeds, and salt in cleaned food processor; blend just until smooth. Fill crust with cheesecake mixture. Bake until filling is just set, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool 1 hour. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
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3. 
   

   To serve, place 2 tablespoons superfine sugar in a sieve and evenly sift over top of cheesecake (avoiding crust). Move a small kitchen blowtorch back and forth across sugar until caramelized (aiming torch toward center to avoid burning crust). Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons superfine sugar, making a second caramelized layer. Top with spun sugar and serve, slicing through spun sugar and cake with a sharp knife, and wiping blade between slices.

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