Orange Cheesecake with Caramel Rum Sauce

Instructions

Crust

1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Line a 9-inch springform pan with aluminum foil and coat it with nonstick cooking spray.
3. To make the crust, in a mixing bowl stir together the cracker crumbs, brown sugar, coconut, and butter until the mixture begins to come together in clumps. Press the crumbs into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the pan.

Filling

1. To make the filling, in a large bowl using an electric mixer (KitchenAid works well), beat together the cream cheese, brown sugar, and granulated sugar at medium speed, until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Stir in the orange extract, salt, flour, sour cream, and heavy cream, and beat until smooth. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake the cheesecake for one hour and 10 minutes, until it is no longer liquid in the center. Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. Let cool completely at room temperature and store in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.

Caramel Rum Sauce

1. Combine the sugar and hot water in a heavy saucepan, and cook over high heat until the sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute. Continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally but never stirring the sugar mixture, until the mixture thickens and turns a deep amber color, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add the heavy cream (be careful -- the mixture will splatter). Return the pan to the heat and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the sauce is thick and creamy, stirring occasionally to help incorporate the cream, about 5 minutes.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum, vanilla, and butter. Serve warm.