Brown Butter Walnut Cheesecake with Mocha Latte Topping

Ingredients:

• 8 oz graham crackers
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, browned
• 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 8 oz Norman's Kosher Cholov Yisroel Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp instant coffee granules
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips, melted

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until they become fine crumbs.
3. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue cooking until the butter has browned and has a nutty aroma, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat, add the chopped sage, and let it sit for a couple of minutes.
4. Combine the graham cracker crumbs with the browned butter-sage mixture. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool while you make the filling.
5. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, about 3-4 minutes.
6. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract, and beat until well combined, about 2-3 minutes more.
7. Stir in the chopped walnuts and pour the mixture into the cooled crust.
8. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the center is almost set. Let the cheesecake cool completely in the pan, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
9. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy cream and instant coffee granules, stirring constantly until the granules have dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
10. Pour the mocha latte topping over the cheesecake, spreading it evenly. Drizzle with the melted chocolate chips and refrigerate until the topping has set, about 20-30 minutes.
11. Serve chilled, optionally garnished with fresh sage leaves or chopped walnuts.