Step by step method

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees.

2. Salted Caramel

3. Heat white sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, coloured liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn it.
4. Once sugar is completely melted, immediately stir in the Stork Baking Margarine until melted and combined. Take caution because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the Stork Baking Margarine is added. If you notice the Stork Baking Margarine separating or if the sugar clumps up, remove from heat and vigorously whisk to combine again. This may take 3 to 4 minutes. Return to heat when combined again.
5. Once combined, stir constantly and slowly pour in the cream - the mixture may bubble when added. Once added, stop stirring and allow to boil for 1 minute. Allow it to rise in the pan as it boils.
6. Remove from heat and stir in the salt. Allow to slightly cool down, the caramel will thicken as it cools.

7. Tennis Biscuit Crust

8. Crush Tennis biscuits into fine crumbs. Pour into a medium bowl and stir in sugar until combined, then stir in the melted Stork Baking Margarine. Mixture will resemble wet sand. Try to break up any large chunks.
9. Pour into a 24 cm springform pan (do not grease).
10. Using your hand with medium pressure, pat the crumbs down into the bottom and partly up the sides to make a compact crust. Do not pack down with heavy force as that makes the crust too hard. Pat down until mixture is no longer crumbly - you can use the flat bottom of a small measuring cup to help smooth it all out if needed.
11. Pre-bake for 10 minutes, then remove from oven and place pan on a large piece of aluminium foil. Foil will wrap around the pan for the water bath in the next step. Allow crust to slightly cool as you prepare the filling.

12. Cheesecake Filling

13. In a large bowl, beat or whisk cream cheese and white sugar together until mixture is smooth and creamy.
14. Add sour cream and vanilla essence then beat until fully combined.
15. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each until just blended. Once final egg is added, sift in the flour. Once completely incorporated, stop mixing. To help prevent the cheesecake from deflating and cracking as it cools, avoid over-mixing the batter.

16. Prepare the water bath

17. Boil a kettle of water. You need 2cm of water in your roasting pan for the water bath, so make sure you boil enough. We recommend a full kettle of hot water.
18. As water is boiling, wrap aluminium foil around the springform pan.
19. Pour cheesecake filling on top of the crust. Use a rubber spatula or spoon to smooth it into an even layer.
20. Place the pan inside a large roasting pan. Carefully pour hot water inside the pan and place in oven.

21. Bake & Serve

22. Bake cheesecake for 50 minutes or until the centre is almost set. If you notice the cheesecake browning too quickly on top, tent it with aluminium foil halfway through baking. When it’s done, the centre of the cheesecake will wobble slightly if you gently shake the pan. Turn the oven off and open the oven door slightly. Allow the cheesecake sit in the oven and cool for 1 hour. Remove from oven and water bath, then cool cheesecake completely uncovered at room temperature. Then cover and refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours or overnight.
23. Using a knife, loosen the chilled cheesecake from the rim of the springform pan, then remove the rim. Using a clean sharp knife, cut into slices for serving.