Crust

1. Preheat the oven to 375F and grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan.

2. Blend the walnuts, flour, butter, sugar and salt in a food processor until finely chopped and sticking together.  Start with 3 tbsp of the flour, add the final tbsp of flour if needed to help the mixture from being to wet and creamy.

3. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides about 1/2-1 inch of the springform pan.
4. Bake on the centre rack until the crust is richly browned, about 10-15 minutes. Check periodically during the baking: if the crust has slipped down the sides, or is puffing up at all, use the back of a spoon to gently smooth back into shape.
5. Let cool before filling.

Filling

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Place 1/4 of the cream cheese (one 8 oz container if using separate packages), 1/4 cup of the sugar and the cornstarch in a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer. Or use a stand mixer.
3. Beat on low until creamy, about 3 minutes. Then beat in the remaining cream cheese.
4. Increase the speed to high and beat in the remaining 1 cup of sugar and then the vanilla.
5. Decrease the speed to medium high.
6. Blend in the eggs one at a time, beating the batter well after each egg.

7. Blend in the heavy cream. Mix only till completely blended. Do not overmix.

8. At this point make sure you have some hot water from a tea kettle ready.
9. Take the cooled crust in the springform pan and wrap the pan with tinfoil, so that the bottom and sides are protected. Place this wrapped pan into a baking pan that will just hold it.
10. Gently spoon the batter over cooled crust.
11. Place the baking pan onto the baking sheet and place everything onto the middle rack of the oven, towards the front of the rack. Take the kettle and gently and carefully pour the water into the baking pan around the springform pan. The water should reach about halfway up the springform pan.
12. Place the baking sheet further back on the rack.
13. Bake until the centre of the cheesecake barely jiggles when you gently shake the pan, about 1 hour.
14. Take the cake pan from the water bath and cool the cake on a wire rack for 1 hour. Remove the tinfoil.
15. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it is completely cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.
16. Remove the sides of the pan, and place the cake onto a serving plate.

While the cake is cooling you can make up the caramel sauce and pears.

Pears

1. Preheat the oven to 225F

2. Using a mandolin, slice the pear(s) into slices 1/8 inch thick. Using two pears will give you plenty of chips for decor and snacking!

3. Place these all onto a parchment lined sheet (or two if needed- you don't want them overlapping)

4. Bake for up to 1 1/5 hours until crisping up nicely. Turn and bake another 1 to 1 1/5 hours until just curling and crispy. The moisture should be gone, They will firm up as they cool.

5. Using a small sieve, sprinkle with cinnamon.
6. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container. They make a perfect snack or serve on a cheeseboard or with granola and oatmeal!
7. To serve the cake, drizzle with as much caramel sauce as you like, and garnish with the pear chips.