Step 1

For the smoothest cheesecake, it is important for all cold ingredients to come to room temperature. Depending on how warm your home is, this can take anywhere from 45-120 minutes. Room temperature is considered to be 70-75 F (21-23 C).

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Line a 9" (23cm) springform pan with parchment paper along the bottom. Lightly grease the sides of the springform pan. If you would like, line the sides of the springform pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Step 3

Place a heaping cup (or 125g) of graham crackers in a food processor. Process until mostly all crumbs. Don't worry if there are still larger pieces. Pour out the crumbs into a small bowl. Pour in the pecans and any remaining large graham cracker pieces into the food processor. Process until mostly small crumbs.Pour back in the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Process until the mixture is well combined and no large crumbs remain. Add in cubes of room temperature butter. Process until the mixture comes together in large clumps. Grab a little and press in between your fingers. The mixture should easily hold together. If not, add up to 2 tbsp more butter until this happens.

Step 4

Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared springform pan. If you would like, press the crust up along the sides.

Step 5

Bake the crust in a 375 F oven for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven to cool on a cooling rack while the filling is prepared.

Step 6

Water bath protection: This cheesecake will be baked in a water bath. To prevent water from getting into the pan you will need to wrap the pan in foil. Place two long pieces of foil on top of one another, with one piece going up and down and the other laying on top going side to side (like a "+" sign). Place the cooled pan in the center of the two pieces. Carefully wrap the sides of the pan with the foil. Ensure there are no gaps. For extra protection, place the spring form pan in a "brining bag" before wrapping in foil.

Step 7

Reduce the oven temperature to 325 F (163 C).

Step 8

Boil water to pour into the roasting pan about 15 minutes before finishing the filling.

Step 9

In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the mascarpone and cream cheese together on low until smooth and fully combined. You do not want to whip air into the filling, so this process should happen on the lowest setting and only for as long as it takes to combine both cheeses into a smooth mixture. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.

Step 10

Pour in the maple sugar, vanilla bean paste, maple extract, cinnamon and salt. Mix into the smooth cheeses until well combined. This should happen on the lowest setting and just for as long as is needed to fully combine all the ingredients.

Step 11

In a seperate bowl, stir together the sour cream, maple syrup and heavy whipping cream until smooth and fully combined. No sour cream lumps should remain. Once fully combined, pour into the sweetened cheese mixture. On low, beat the mixture to fully combine. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to ensure all the pieces are fully combined and the mixture is smooth.

Step 12

On the lowest setting, beat in each and egg yolk one at a time, waiting until about half of each egg is mixed in before adding the next. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Do not raise the speed of your mixer once the eggs are added in. Doing so will whip more air into the mixture and could cause the cheesecake to puff up while baking, just to collapse while cooling.

Step 13

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan with the cooled crust. Gently, but firmly tap the pan on the counter to help any air bubble release up to the surface.

Step 14

Place the lined and filled cheesecake pan into an empty roasting pan. Place the roasting pan onto the rack in the center of the oven. Carefully and gently pour the boiling water into the pan until the water rises about 1 inch.

Step 15

Bake the cheesecake at 325 F (163 C) for 70-80 minutes. At 60 minutes, do the first check of the cheesecake. The cheesecake is finished when the sides are set and very slightly puffed. The center will still be a giggly, like jello. If you want to use an instant read thermometer, the internal temperature should reach 145 F (63 C).

Step 16

Once the cheesecake has baked long enough to set. Turn off the oven. Leave the cheesecake in the cracked oven for 60 minutes. I like to use a spoon wedged in the door just enough to prop the oven door a few inches.

Step 17

After one hour, remove the cheesecake from the water bath. Remove the foil and bag (if used). Run a butter knife along the edges to loosen any pieces of the filling that may have gotten stuck to the sides. Cool the cheesecake to room temperature on a cooling rack. This can take about 60 minutes.

Step 18

Only when the cheesecake is fully cooled, wrap the entire pan in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight. The cheesecake will keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Step 19

serving the cheesecake

Step 20

Depending on your topping choice, you can serve the cheesecake as is, or you can add the additional toppings listed in the ingredients list.

Step 21

Maple Caramel Sauce: Pour the maple syrup into a small sauce pot. Bring the syrup to a boil until the temperature reaches 225-230 F (107-110 C) or right under the "soft boil" temperature. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the butter until fully combined. Stir in the cream and salt until fully combined. Cool 5-10 minutes in the pot. Pour into a heat proof container until fully cooled to room temperature. Chill in the fridge to fully set. The sauce keeps well in an airtight container stored in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.

Step 22

Freshly Whipped Cream:Pour cold heavy whipping cream in a stand mixer with whisk attachement. Whip on medium to medium high speed until soft- medium peaks form. The cream should hold a peak briefly before collapsing down.

Step 23

When you are ready to serve the cheesecake, remove the cake from the springform pan. Carefully transfer the cheesecake onto a serving plate if desired. Spread the whipped cream on top. Drizzle the maple caramel sauce on top right before serving. Drizzle more sauce as needed after slicing pieces.