Sticky Date Cheesecake

Made this today, it's out of the same book that the Cookies & Cream Slice (posted a little while ago) is in, the Philadelphia one. I'm not a big date fan, but this is yum!! I've never made a baked cheesecake before, but it was super easy and turned out really well.

100g butternut snap biscuits, crushed
20g butter, melted

375g Philadelphia cream cheese, softened (recipe says block, but I used the little containers)
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 teaspoons plain flour
5 (125g) fresh dates (I don't even know what fresh dates look like :redface: but dried dates worked fine)

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
80g butter
1/3 cup cream

Combine the biscuit crumbs and butter in a bowl. Press mixture into the base of a greased & lined 9cm x 20cm loaf pan. Chill.
Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the egg then stir through the flour and dates. Pour filling into prepared base and bake in a moderately slow oven 160C for 25 mins or until just set. cool in oven with door ajar. Chill.
Combine brown sugar, 80g butter and cream in a small saucepan, stirring over a low heat for 5 mins or until thickened. Cut cheesecake into thick slices and serve with a drizzle of sauce and extra cream.


Tips for baking a cheesecake:
*best position for a cheesecake in the oven is the lowest shelf in a gas oven. If using an electric oven, position the cheesecake on the centre rack (mine only has 2 racks so put it on the bottom one). For fan forced ovens reduce the temperature by 20 degrees.
*Provide a moist baking environment by placing a small bowl of hot water on the bottom of the oven. The steaming effect created helps prevent burning and the drying out of the cake crumbs.
*Avoid overbaking. A cheesecake is cooked when the edges are slightly puffed and the centre is slightly soft and custard like.