1 . The treacle sauce needs to be made ahead so it can cool, though it doesn't need to be completely cold. Place the dark brown sugar in a pan and heat over a medium heat until completely melted, it does take a while for it to start going to liquid unlike with white sugar.
-
Once the sugar is melted throw in the treacle and butter and keep stirring until the butter has melted and it all combines together, if the butter continues to sit on the top, remove the pan from the heat and keep stirring and it will come together.
-
When everything is combined, with the pan on the heat again pour in the cream and keep stirring until it's thoroughly mixed through. Bring to the boil for a couple of minutes and then remove from the heat. Allow to cool either in the pan or in the jug. If you decide to make days in advance you can keep it in the fridge, it will set fairly firm so just gently warm in the microwave so it returns to a pourable state, should only need 30 seconds if that.
-
For the cheesecake base, place the gluten free digestives in a food processor and blitz until fine, alternatively you can place in a food bag and bash with a rolling pin.
-
Place the butter in a bowl and blast in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir, repeat until all melted. Pour into a mixing bowl along with the gluten free biscuit crumbs and mix together until you get a wet sand sort of consistency.
-
Wrap clingfilm around the removeable base of a 10in loose bottomed cake tin (this makes the cheesecake easier to lift off later), put the base back in the tin then press the biscuit firmly into the bottom, a damp spoon is great for smoothing it out. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
-
Pour the cream into a large bowl and whisk to stiff peaks using an electric whisk, then beat in the Philadelphia, icing sugar and around half of the treacle sauce you made. Pour on top of the base and return to the fridge for around another 2 hour (or while you make the cinder toffee) so the cheesecake firms up slightly.
-
If you are making your cinder toffee you can do this while the cheesecake firms up. Grease a 6in square tin with A LOT of butter, believe me you will destroy it otherwise.
-
Pour the caster sugar into a deep pan with the golden syrup, heat on a low flame and stir until melted, then bring the hot sugar up to a simmer until it turns amber in colour. Remove from the heat and throw in the bicarb, beat with a spoon and it will foam up rather abruptly, beat until the bicarb has dissolved then pour straight into the buttered tin. It will keep foaming for a bit. Leave to go cold which will take a couple of hours then roughly break it up.
-
Now the cinder toffee is ready, warm remaining treacle sauce so it is pourable and pour onto the cheesecake and spread over the top, add chunks of the cinder toffee then place back in the fridge for a minimum of another 2 hours to set the sauce and make sure the cheesecake is completely firm. Ideally leave overnight if you can but 4 hours is enough to firm it enough! Enjoy while waving a sparkler and watching the fireworks!