Samoa Cookie Cheesecake

recipe from Peabody

Cookie Base

¾ cup (3.75 oz) all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
a pinch of salt
¼  cup (2 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
¼  cup (2 oz) unsalted butter, for browning
¼  cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

To make the brown butter: Cut ¼  cup of butter into pieces. Heat butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir the butter or swirl the pan so the butter does not get burnt. Remove from heat when butter turns light brown and gives off a nutty aroma. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch and salt together.

Cream the remaining ¼ cup butter (at room temp) until smooth and add the sugar, beating for about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract and the brown butter. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Take cookie base and press down into a 10 inch spring form pan that has already been buttered/floured and lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Set out to cool.

For the Cheesecake:

2 1/2 lbs cream cheese
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 tbsp flour
5 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sweetened coconut

Cream the cheese until soft. Add in the sugar and mix well. Decrease the mixer speed to low and add the flour.

Add eggs in one at a time scraping bowl down to make sure that there are no lumps.

Stir in the vanilla. The coconut can be added now; it just get stirred in.

Pour batter into the pan. Bake in a water bath at 350F for approx 1 ½ -2  hours. Let cake sit at room temperature until cool, then chill overnight.

For the Caramel:
1 ½ cups sugar
1/3  cup water
2/3 cup heavy cream

Pour the sugar into the center of a deep saucepan. Carefully pour 1/3 cup water around the walls of the pan, trying not to splash any of the sugar onto the walls. Do not stir; gently draw you finger twice through the center of the sugar, making a cross, to moisten it. Over high heat, bring to a full boil and cook without stirring, swirling the pan occasionally to even out the color, until the mixture is medium caramel in color, 5 to 10 minutes. Immediately turn off the heat and use a wooden spoon to slowly and carefully stir in the cream (it will bubble up and may splatter).

Allow caramel to cool for a few minutes then stir in 12 ounces of sweetened coconut (you can add more if you would like). Stick in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.

For the Chocolate:

6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Melt in a metal bowl over simmering water. Once cooled put into a pastry bag.

To Assemble:

Once the cheesecake has chilled overnight. Place some of the topping on the cheesecake and spread it around to cover the top. It may be a little runny that is okay. Pipe chocolate stripes onto the cheesecake, as many as you would like and chill for another hour.