Yes, that’s right, Honeycomb Cheesecake with a touch of caramel!
This week, my friend requested a Honeycomb Cheesecake, so I put my big girl pants on and gave it a whirl. I have an irrational fear when it comes to sugar work, but after watching an episode of Come Dine With Me the contestant made it look super easy.
However, when the pan hit the stove top those fears came rushing back, which meant I ended up having a couple of goes at it. My first attempt, I bottled it and took the caramel off the heat too soon, resulting in a sticky mess. Undeterred I gave it another shot, it seemed to work fine this time, but it fell flat in the tin. It still snapped and as I was only using it for decoration, thin shards worked in my favour. I did a little googling and found out where I was going wrong, you need to use fresh bicarbonate soda. Your three month old bicarbonate soda won’t create maximum foaming power to form that melt in the mouth crisp honeycomb.
If, like me, you are terrified of sugar work then do not panic, for the filling I used Belgium chocolate coated honeycomb that I purchased in Marks & Spencer’s. Instead of making honeycomb for decoration you could break up a couple of Crunchie Bars. To make this beehive of deliciousness you will need a lined 6 1/2 inch loose-bottom tin, a well lined baking tray and some bubble wrap.
Ingredients
For base:
- 150 grams of caramel digestive biscuits / graham crackers
- 25 grams of unsalted butter, melted
For filling:
- 400 grams of soft cheese / cream cheese
- 50 grams of icing sugar
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 300 ml of double cream
- 50 grams of creme fraiche
- 80 grams of Belgium chocolate coated honey comb (I bought mine from Marks & Spencer’s) or 4 crunchie bars chopped
For decoration:
- 100 grams of white chocolate, melted
- 2 tbsp of caramel (I used tinned caramel)
- 80 grams of unsalted butter
- 80 grams of golden syrup
- 160 grams of caster sugar
- 2 tsp of fresh bicarbonate soda
Method
Step 1: Place the caramel digestive biscuits in a food processor and blitz into a fine crumb. Next, add the melted butter and blitz again until thoroughly combined. Pour the buttery biscuit crumb into your prepared tin, use the back of a teaspoon to pack the biscuits down. Once the biscuits cover the base of your tin, pop it in the fridge, whilst you make the filling.
Step 2: Put the soft cheese, icing sugar and vanilla into your mixer, using the whisk attachment, mix on a medium-low speed. Place a tea towel over the top of your mixer to stop a cloud of icing sugar engulfing your kitchen. Once that is thoroughly mixed, add the double cream and creme fraiche, and mix on a medium-high until the mixture thickens. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the chocolate honeycomb, using a spatula. When the mixture is thick enough to hold itself, remove the tin from the fridge and pour in the filling. Place back in the fridge for four hours or overnight.
Step 3: When the cheesecake has set, remove it from tin. To make the honeycomb-esque white chocolate collar, you will need to cut bubble wrap to the same height as your cheesecake. Then wrap it round your cheesecake and cut it to the right length.
Peel it back off your cheesecake and place it on your counter, bubble side up. Pour the melted chocolate over the bubble wrap, use a pallet knife to smooth the chocolate all over the bubble wrap.
Next, wrap it around the cheesecake, with the chocolate side touching the cheesecake.
Place in the fridge for one hour to set. Once it has set peel the bubble wrap off the chocolate. And you have an easy chocolate collar.
Step 4: Place the caramel in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 10 seconds. Mix until all the lumps have gone, then spread it over the top of your cheesecake using a pallet knife. Put it back in the fridge whilst you make the honeycomb.
Step 5: Now the scary part 😁 Making the honeycomb. I used the crunchy honey comb recipe by SORTEDfood if you follow the link there is also a video which shows you how to do it. Once you place the mixture on the heat do not stir!!! Only swirling the pan is permitted. Put the butter, golden syrup and sugar in a tall saucepan, and place over a low heat until completely melted. Turn up the heat and boil quickly, it will start to form large bubbles, this is why you need to use a deep pan. Boil until it is an Amber colour (the colour of maple syrup.) Once the caramel is golden in colour remove it from the heat, let the bubbles die down a bit, then add the bicarbonate soda and whisk quickly, poor immediately onto your prepared baking tray. Leave to cool until it is completely set. Then smash it into pieces and place on top of your cheesecake.
I hope you enjoy this super fun recipe as much as I did, and remember honey comb is difficult to make, so don’t be deterred! Alternatively you can decorate it with Crunchie bars.
Enjoy
B x
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Stunning! Using bubble wrap is such a clever idea, love it.
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Thank you! My step-dad was trying to tell me it wouldn’t work, it was great proving him wrong. Haha
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Agreed, great idea. Glad it worked out!
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Thank you x
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Becky I really am blown away by how totally awesome this cheesecake is. I had no idea how you created the honeycomb effect and bubble wrap – totally genius idea. You really inspire me to push myself out of my comfort zone. Superb cheesecake. Sammie xx
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Thank you Sammie, I’m glad you like it!! I have tried two things this week I have never done before, and I’m so pleased they worked out well! Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone is scary but rewarding when it works. Xxx
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I knew it was going to be good when you said you were making a caramel cheesecake, but my goodness it’s amazing! So clever but still feels like something we could try ourselves.
Fab x
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Thank you!! It’s so easy to do, apart from the honeycomb that’s a bit tricky! But that’s more to do with confidence and I’m a chicken haha.
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Fantastic design Becky! 🙂 I love honeycomb, can’t wait to try this!
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It went down a treat! I love chocolate honeycomb pieces so addictive 😍 my mum can’t stop eating the homemade honeycomb!
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I bet! I would eat it all straight from the tin!
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It was meant to be for today but we ate some of it yesterday! I only made a small one because my mum told me to stop making them fat hahaha.
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Haha I feel your pain I get told that all the time too 😂
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She was like “I have no willpower so this is unfair” whilst eating some honeycomb she had stolen 😂
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Very unique and fun! Lovec this one
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Thank you Lynz! It was so much fun to make and it’s gone down a treat with my taste testers (my mum and Gran) 🙂
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I am sure! Also gorgeous to look at
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Thank you so much! You’re always so kind about my cheesecakes 🙂
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Lovely as always!
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🙂 x
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Such a great idea with the bubble wrap! I too know what you mean about using fresh bicarbonate of soda! It makes such a difference. Also electric hobs seem to work better for me. Love this recipe. x
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Thank you Sophie! Sadly don’t have an electric hob my boyfriend does though so will have to try his, thank you for the tip. I’m glad you like it!! X
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Very inspiring..thank you for sharing with us !
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Thank you and you’re welcome 🙂
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Oh my you are so smart to use bubble wrap! This looks fantastic. I’m afraid I’d eat the whole thing. I so love a good caramel! Well done! 🙂
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Thank you! I’m so pleased with how well this cheesecake has gone down! Ooo me too I can’t get enough of caramel! 🙂
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Holy shit what is this sorcery with using bubble wrap??? That’s fucking ingenious!!!! How did you know that would work?? I would be afraid of my chocolate melting the plastic and yet it doesn’t and it’s BEAUTIFUL!!!!
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Hahaha I was having this argument with my step-dad he thought the chocolate would just get stuck to the bubble wrap! He was very impressed when it peeled off easily. I’ve seen a few cakes decorated with a chocolate collar like this, and when I made this cheesecake I thought it would be perfect, so gave it ago! I’m glad you like it 🙂
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Love it!!! I’ll have to keep this in mind! Beautiful perfect cheesecake! You should be beyond proud. 😘
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Awh thank you! You should definitely try it, so easy to do!
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This looks so amazing! Your blog is my dream! I’m obsessed with cheese cake 🙂
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Thank you! Maybe it’s a Rebecca thing because I’m obsessed with it too haha!! I’m glad you enjoy my blog 🙂
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Haha! Definitely could be! ❤
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This looks amazing I love the use of bubble wrap.
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Thank you 🙂 this is by far my most favourite cheesecake!
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Wow! This is amazing! The bubble wrap is such a clever idea! I’m so pleased to have found your blog, I never knew what a big world of cheesecakes there is, this will please my family – A LOT!
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Thank you!!! I’m glad you like it ☺️
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So cool!!! Love your deserts 😍😘
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You are so lovely! I’m glad you like them!
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I can’t stop looking at all of your posts 😀
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Awh that make me so happy! Thank you
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You are welcome!!! Keep doing this beautiful work of art 😍😋. Ps:the best part is that you can eat the art 😉😘
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Mmmm edible art 😝 hehe my kind of art
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wow love it so clever to use bubble wrap
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This is my all time favourite! Thank you
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This is so so pretty! Using bubble wrap is a brilliant idea, so clever and it looks great too!!
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Awh thank you Kathryn! I’m glad it worked I love the effect!
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Looks like a piece of art! 😍 defenitely have to try it myself 😊
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Thank you so much! Tag me on insta if you do @biscuitbases
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Will do! 😊
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Excited to see it 😘
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This looks absolutely gorgeous. A family member introduced me to honeycombe straight from the hive. Will work well with this recipe.
Thank you for sharing
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Thank you lovely! Ooo need to get my hands on some of that!
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