Toffee Crunch Cheesecake

My daughter got married on Saturday, October the second, at New Hope AME Church, at two o'clock in the afternoon, in a rust-colored sanctuary full of people who love her.

I will not try to describe the whole of it because some moments are too full to fit into description without losing their shape. But I will say this: when Pastor Hendricks said those words — who gives this woman — and I stood up and said I do, and Destiny turned and looked at me with her veil back and her eyes bright, I felt Marcus in that room with a certainty that I do not often allow myself. He was there. I don't know how to explain that in any way that sounds reasonable, but I am not trying to sound reasonable. He was there in the room the way a scent is in a room — not visible but undeniable.

Travis received her like a man who had been waiting to take care of something precious. That was what his face showed — not nervousness, not performance, but readiness. Miss Ocie wept. Carolyn wept. Destiny did not weep, which surprised no one who knows her. She held it all in her face and her posture and she was radiant.

The groom's cake came out right. I sliced it myself at the reception and stood behind the table and watched Travis take the first bite and close his eyes for a moment in the way you do when taste and memory arrive at the same time. He found me across the room and mouthed thank you. I nodded. That's all that needed to happen.

At the end of the night, sitting in my car before I drove home, I thought about the first time I held Destiny in a hospital room thirty years ago and told her she had come into a big loud family and I hoped she was ready. She was more than ready. She always was. God, I love her. God, I am grateful.

The groom’s cake was the one thing I insisted on making myself — not because I had to, but because I needed something to do with my hands in the weeks before the wedding, and because Travis deserved something made with intention. I’ve made this Toffee Crunch Cheesecake twice before for family gatherings, and I knew the moment I decided on it that it was right for him: rich without being fussy, with that crunch that surprises you mid-bite, the kind of dessert that makes you stop and just be where you are. That’s exactly what I watched him do. That’s exactly what I was hoping for.

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes | Total Time: 5 hours 40 minutes (includes chilling) | Servings: 12

Ingredients

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup toffee bits (such as Heath baking bits)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup toffee bits
Topping:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup toffee bits
2 tablespoons caramel sauce, for drizzling

Instructions

Prepare the pan. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and wrap the outside tightly with two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Set aside.
Make the crust. Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, toffee bits, and melted butter until evenly combined. Press firmly into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool.
Beat the filling. Using a stand or hand mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low after each addition just until blended. Do not overmix.
Add sour cream and toffee. Mix in sour cream and vanilla extract until just combined. Fold in toffee bits by hand with a spatula. Pour filling over cooled crust and smooth the top.
Water bath bake. Place the foil-wrapped springform pan into a large roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake at 325°F for 55 to 65 minutes, until the edges are set and the center has a slight jiggle.
Cool gradually. Turn off the oven, crack the door open slightly, and let the cheesecake rest in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from water bath, run a thin knife around the edge of the pan, and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
Whip the topping. Just before serving, beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to stiff peaks. Spread or pipe over the chilled cheesecake. Scatter toffee bits generously across the top and drizzle with caramel sauce.
Slice and serve. Remove the springform ring, slice with a warm clean knife, and serve chilled.

Nutrition (per serving)

Toffee Crunch Cheesecake — The Groom’s Cake That Made Travis Close His Eyes