Peanut Butter and Pretzel Cheesecake

Line a 25cm loose-bottomed springform cake tin with greaseproof paper

To make the cheesecake base, blitz the digestives and pretzels in a food processor to a fine crumb (or pound in a bag or between two sheets of clingfilm with a rolling pin). Transfer to a bowl and mix in the melted butter until the crumbs are fully coated. Transfer to the lined tin and press down with the back of a spoon to make a flat base. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to set.

Beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, icing sugar and vanilla paste in a bowl with an electric whisk (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment) until smooth. Add the double cream and whisk again until fully incorporated and thickened.

Remove the biscuit base from the fridge and spoon the cream cheese mixture over the top; using the back of a spoon to spread the mixture level in the tin (you could shake the tin slightly to even the top). Cover with clingfilm and transfer to the fridge for at least six hours to set (preferably overnight).

First line a baking tray with a silicone baking mat or baking parchment.

Put the caster sugar, golden syrup and 2 tablespoons of water in a medium heavy-based saucepan and cook over high heat for 5 minutes until the edges of the sugar syrup begin to caramelise and the temperature is 150°C on a sugar thermometer.

Remove from the heat and whisk through the bicarbonate of soda until smooth, then add the peanuts. Carefully transfer the hot brittle mixture of the lined tray and leave to cool completely.

To finish the cheesecake, carefully remove from the tin and paper. Smash the set peanut brittle into pieces with a rolling pin, then cover the cheesecake with the broken brittle (you want to serve a piece of brittle with each piece of cake).