Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake with Hot Brandy Sauce

Combine flour, sugar and vanilla in a processor. Cut in butter by pulsing until the mixture has the consistency of coarse meal. Press into bottom and up sides of a 23 cm springform pan. Bake at 180°C for 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature and increase oven to 200°C. Pass the chilli sauce through a sieve and place in processor along with cream cheese and sugar. Blend until smooth. Add eggs and process until well combined. Spoon into crust. Mix apples with sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Spoon over cream cheese layer, spreading evenly, and sprinkle with walnuts. Bake for 15 minutes. Lower oven to 180°C and continue baking for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool cake to room temperature. Serve with a drizzle of hot brandy sauce and whipped cream.

MAKES serves 6

ADVANCE PREPARATION
Cheesecake can be made 2 days in advance and refrigerated. Bring cake to room temperature and heat sauce before serving.

BRANDY SAUCE
Melt butter in a saucepan and stir in brown and caster sugars. Pour the chilli sauce through a sieve into the pan and add remaining ingredients, stirring continuously while mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and serve warm over cheesecake.

ADVANCE PREPARATION
Sauce will keep for a week refrigerated.

VARIATIONS
Add ½ cup chopped toasted macadamias or pecans to the sauce just before serving.