INGREDIENTS – BISCUIT BASE
175g digestive biscuit crumbs
50g butter, melted
50g pecan nuts, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon Clarks pure maple syrup
FILLING INGREDIENTS
350 g full fat curd cheese
350 g fromage frais
3 eggs
150 g caster sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped
TO DECORATE
Pecan nut brittle
10 pecan nuts
100g caster sugar
CHEESCAKE
Place the crumbs and pecan nuts in a large bowl. Add the melted butter and maple syrup and mix well.
Press the mixture into the base of a 23 cm (9 inch) round spring form baking tin and refrigerate whilst you make the filling.
In a large bowl combine the curd cheese, fromage frais, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla seeds.
Pour over the biscuit base and cook at Gas mark 3/150 C for 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow to stand in the cooling oven.
Remove from the oven and run a small palate knife around the cheesecake to loosen but leave to cool completely before turning out.
PECAN BRITTLE
Have a baking sheet lined with non stick silicone paper.
Place the sugar in a frying pan and place over a medium to high heat.
Let the sugar dissolve and begin to caramelise. Swirl to ensure the caramel colours evenly.
Place the pecan nuts on the baking sheet and pour over the caramel.
Leave to cool completely until hard.
Decorate the cheesecake with the pecan brittle and drizzle liberally with maple syrup.