Salted Caramel Popcorn Cheesecake

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Updated on 09/23/21
salted-caramel-popcorn-cheesecake
Elaine Lemm
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Chill Time: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 8 servings

Be warned, this Salted Caramel Popcorn Cheesecake is seriously moreish, it is irresistible and one piece will never be enough. Cream, butter, sugar, salt and oodles of popcorn, what is not to like.

The original recipe came from Olive magazine and once tried in our house it has become a family favourite. This recipe is slightly easier than the original and I use Skyr (Icelandic low-fat ​yoghurt) which helps stop the cake being too sweet. If you cannot find Skyr, do not worry, thick plain yoghurt also works well.

Ingredients

For the Base:

  • 225 grams digestive biscuits, crushed

  • Generous pinch Maldon sea salt, or kosher salt

  • 110 grams unsalted butter, melted, more for the pan

For the Sauce:

  • 30 grams unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 1 teaspoon low-fat milk

  • 160 milliliters heavy cream

  • 145 grams light Muscovado sugar

  • 1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt, or kosher salt

For the Filling:

  • 500 grams mascarpone cheese

  • 100 grams low-fat yogurt, such as Skyr, or thick natural yogurt

  • 75 grams icing sugar or fine sugar

  • 100 milliliters heavy cream

For the Decoration:

  • 55 grams salted popcorn

Steps to Make It

Line both the sides and base of a 20cm diameter springform cake tin with greaseproof paper.

Base

  1. Place the digestive crumbs into a mixing bowl, add a small handful of popcorn and the salt.

  2. Pour over the warm melted butter and mix thoroughly. 

  3. Tip the mixture into the cake tin and using the back of a tablespoon, gently press to create an even, compact base for your cheesecake.

  4. Once evenly spread place into the refrigerator to chill.

Sauce

  1. Melt the butter with the milk, cream, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over a gentle heat, stir continuously until they are melted together.

  2. Raise the temperature and bring to a gentle boil. 

  3. Once boiling, lower the heat again and simmer for about 10 minutes to create a glossy sauce.

  4. Put to one side to cool during which time the sauce will start to thicken.

Filling

  1. Beat the cheese, yoghurt and icing sugar together in a stand mixer (or use a hand whisk) and once well combined add the cream and continue to beat to create a thick glossy sauce but do not over whip.

  2. Take the cooled sauce, and if it has thickened too much when cooled, warm slightly, so the sauce is runny once again.

  3. Gently fold half of the sauce through the cheesecake filling to create a lovely rippled effect.

  4. Taste and add more sauce if you feel you want a more caramel flavor.

  5. Pour the filling over the set cheesecake base and smooth the mixture out using the back of a tablespoon or a small palette knife. 

  6. Cover with a proper wrapping of clingfilm and chill in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours.

  7. The cheesecake is ready when the filling is firm and set.

To Finish

  1. Take the cheesecake from the tin and remove the greaseproof paper.

  2. Place onto a cake stand or plate.

  3. Pile the remaining popcorn on the top, pressing the first layer slightly into the cake to create a firm base.

  4. Once the popcorn is piled high, warm the remaining sauce and drizzle over the popcorn allowing the sauce to run down the sides.

The cake us best eaten on the day it is made, it does not keep well as the popcorn will begin to go soft after a few hours though I doubt there will be any leftovers, the cake is simply too delicious to keep.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
800 Calories
63g Fat
56g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 800
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 63g 81%
Saturated Fat 37g 184%
Cholesterol 163mg 54%
Sodium 584mg 25%
Total Carbohydrate 56g 20%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 43g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 116mg 9%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 200mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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