Honey Cheesecake with Candied Almonds and Smoked Sea Salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.

For the crust:
Place the graham crackers in a food processor and pulse until they are in fine crumbs. Add the sugar and pulse to combine. Add the melted butter and pulse once again to coat the crumbs in the butter. Press the crumbs into a 9 1/2 inch springform pan, going up the sides as far as you can. It is a good idea to wrap the outside of the pan in tin foil so no water can get in when the cheesecake is baked.

For the filling:
Add the cream cheese, sugar, and honey to the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, until the filling is smooth. Pour the filling into the crust and spread evenly with a rubber spatula.

Place the pan in a large metal roasting pan and place both pans in the oven. Pour freshly boiled water into the roasting pan halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. Bake for one hour, or until the filling is set in the middle with only slight motion.

Once the cheesecake is baked, remove it from the oven and then remove the cheesecake pan from the roasting pan. Place the springform pan on a cooling rack to allow the cheesecake to cool completely.

For the almonds:
Add the sugar and water to a saucepan over high heat. Caramelize it, swirling the pan often, until the sugar is deep golden in color. Then remove the pan from the heat, add the almonds and stir to coat. Pour the almonds out onto a sheet that you’ve covered with parchment paper. Let almonds cool enough to be handled before breaking them into individual almonds, if necessary. Let cool completely.

Once the cheesecake and almonds are cool, spread the remaining one tablespoon of honey on the top of the cheesecake in a thin layer, using a rubber spatula. Top with as many almonds as your desire, and sprinkle with smoked sea salt. Keep the cheesecake in the fridge overnight, or until it is going to be served.