Make ahead: prepare my Rich Salted Caramel Sauce (larger batch option) up to a week in advance and store it in a sealed jar in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the sides of an 8-inch round non-stick springform pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.

Make the crust. Combine graham crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter in a medium bowl and blend until well combined. Press the crumbs firmly and evenly into the bottom and just about ½-inch up the sides of the pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden and feels dry.

Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.

Make the filling. Place soft cream cheese in a large bowl and mix with a handheld electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add brown sugar and mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until very smooth and glossy. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl several times to ensure there are not lumps at this stage and everything is well combined. The mixture should be lump-free before you move on to the next step.

Mix in sour cream until just combined. Scrape down the sides and around the bottom of the bowl again and mix on low for 5 seconds to ensure everything is blended.

Add one egg and mix on medium speed until JUST combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, add the other egg and mix just until incorporated. Finally, mix in the salted caramel sauce and vanilla extract.

Pour the batter onto the pre-baked crust (it's ok if it is still warm) and spread it out evenly. Tap the pan on the counter top 10 times and pop any air bubbles that you see rising to the surface, then use the pointed end of a knife or skewer to pop any large air bubbles that float up. Place cheesecake in the oven on the center rack. Place a large metal rimmed baking sheet or a 9×13 inch baking pan on the bottom oven rack of the preheated oven. Pour boiling water into the pan about 1 inch deep. Bake for 40 minutes. Turn the oven off and, without opening the oven door, leave it in for another 15 minutes. It is ready when the filling is set and slightly puffed around the edges, but the center is slightly wobbly or jiggles when the pan is shaken.

Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. Immediately run a thin knife or small offset spatula around the edges of the cake to release it from the sides and then leave it to cool completely.

Once completely cooled, refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. I like to leave mine overnight and serve it the next day.

Pour caramel sauce over the cheesecake and top with flaky sea salt just before serving. If you like the caramel to be thicker, you can refrigerate the cheesecake with the caramel layer for an hour before serving.