Ingredients (makes 16 slices)

• 1 1/4 cups traditional rolled oats
• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 1/3 cup desiccated coconut
• 75 grams butter
• 1/4 cup golden syrup
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 500g cream cheese (softened)
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• FOR THE GOLDEN SYRUP CARAMEL
• 60 grams butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup golden syrup
• 2 tablespoons thickened cream

Method

1. *You need to start the recipe a day ahead as the cheesecake needs to be refrigerated overnight
2. *ensure cream cheese is soft - room temperature - not straight from fridge
3. Preheat oven to 150C (130C fan forced) Grease a 20cm round (base) spring-form pan and line the base.
4. Combine the oats, flour and coconut in a bowl. Place butter, golden syrup and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until melted and smooth. Stand for 2 minutes. Add butter mixture to coconut mixture and mix well to combine. Stand for 5 minutes. Press mixture over base and side of prepared pan, leaving a 1cm border around the top edge of the pan.
5. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl when needed. Add eggs 1 at a time beating until just combined.
6. Pour mixture into pan, making sure the top is level. Place pan on a baking tray. Bake for 50 minutes or until filling is just set (cake will wobble slightly in the centre) Turn oven off. Cool cheesecake in oven for 1 hour with door slightly ajar then continue to cool at room temperature. Refrigerate overnight.
7. Meanwhile, make the golden syrup caramel. Place butter, brown sugar and golden syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook stirring for 5 minutes or until smooth. Stir in cream. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 20 minutes before transferring to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
8. Next day: Remove cheesecake from pan and stand both cheesecake and syrup at room temperature for 10 minutes. Drizzle golden syrup over cheesecake and serve. *I found the syrup took longer to return to a pourable consistency as it was a cold day. *I also only put a 1/4 of the syrup on the cheesecake and kept the rest to add if anyone wanted it on their slice.

Notes

This is one of those recipes where it really pays to read the whole recipe as there are many steps, and time is needed for cooling and overnight refrigeration.