Heavenly Cheesecake with Bruléed Figs

It felt very Fall-ish outside this weekend and while looking for inspiration for my dinner party dessert in the produce aisle of the grocery store, I found beautiful, ripe figs. 

This Heavenly Cheesecake with Bruléed Figs is delectable with its creamy/velvety consistency and the slight crunch from the crackly sugar coating on the figs.

Cheesecake Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups Graham cracker crumbs
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 5 8-ounce cream cheese packages, softened
• 5 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• Drop of almond extract
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

Fig Topping Ingredients:

• 8 fresh figs
• 4 Tbsp. granulated sugar

Cheesecake Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, ½ cup sugar and the melted butter.  Press the mixture into the bottom and ½” up the sides of a 9” springform pan.  Set aside for later use.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add the eggs then the yolks, and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Add the cream, remaining sugar, the almond extract and the flour.  Blend until just smooth – do not overbeat.  Pour cream cheese mixture over the cracker crust in the pan.
4. Place the springform pan on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.  Lower the oven to 250 degrees and bake for an additional 90 minutes or until center of the cake is set but still a bit jiggly.  Cool the cheesecake in the pan for 45 minutes.  Run a small knife between the ring and the cake to loosen any bits from the pan, then loosen the ring and cool another 15 minutes.  Remove the ring and refrigerate up to a day prior to decorating and serving.

Fig Topping Directions:

1. Quarter each fig from stem to end.  Place fig quarters, skin side down, on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
2. Sprinkle sugar lightly over the fig flesh.  Using a kitchen torch, brulée the sugar onto each fig quarter.
3. Place figs, bruléed side up onto the cheesecake.

Makes 10 servings.

Notes:  Don’t have a kitchen torch?  No sweat – simply broil the figs on high for 1-2 minutes, until the sugar begins to melt onto the figs.