Layered Turtle Cheesecake

It has been over a year since my last post and I am going to revive The Orange Skillet.  I have really missed how it inspired me to find new dishes to share with everyone.  In the last year, I have found a few new dishes that I have made and I will begin by sharing some of those.  The most recent was a turtle cheesecake that I made for a few friends.  It was well-received and quite possibly the best cheesecake I've ever tasted. 

A word to the wise, make sure every dish in your kitchen is clean when  you begin making this recipe because you're about to dirty many of them and you don't want to overwhelm yourself.  Also, make sure you read through the ingredients and the directions several times.  There is nothing worse than getting into a recipe of this nature and not having exactly what you need.  As far as equipment, you'll need a 9" spring form pan, roasting pan (the spring form pan has to be able to fit inside of the roasting pan, a deep cookie sheet will also work), 18" aluminum foil (I used and doubled 12", but 18" would be easier), food processor (for the pecans in the crust), and an electric mixer.

Make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to complete this recipe.  The cheesecake needs to be prepared the day before you want to serve it.  It needs to be refrigerated overnight before you make the ganache.  Also, allow yourself time on the day you wish to serve it so you can prepare the ganache and then refrigerate the cheesecake for at least another hour before serving.

Layered Turtle Cheesecake

Crust

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup finely chopped pecans

6 Tbs. cold butter, cubed

Filling

4 pkg. 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup plus 1 tsp. all-purpose flour, divided

2 Tbs. heavy whipping cream

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

4 eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup milk chocolate chips, melted and cooled*

¼ cup caramel ice cream topping

1/3 cup chopped pecans

Ganache

½ cup milk chocolate chips

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

2 Tbs. chopped pecans

Additional caramel ice cream topping, optional

 

Directions

Place a greased 9-in. spring form pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and pecans; cut in butter until crumbly. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 12-15 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.

*Make sure you have melted and cooled the chocolate chips for the filling by this point.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugars until smooth. Beat in ¼ cup flour, cream and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Remove 1 cup batter to a small bowl; stir in melted chocolate. Spread over crust.

   

In another bowl, mix caramel topping and remaining flour; stir in pecans. Drop by tablespoonfuls over chocolate batter. Top with remaining batter. Place spring form pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan.

Bake at 325° for 75 to 90 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove spring form pan from water bath; remove foil. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.

For ganache, place chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chips; whisk until smooth. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally.

Remove sides of spring form pan. Spread ganache over cheesecake; sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate until set. If desired, drizzle a slice of cheesecake with additional caramel topping just before serving. Yield: 12 servings.

If you are not sure about a cheesecake that has this many steps, I will also post the recipe for a plain cheesecake later on.  Also, a tip for cutting a slice, make sure you use a clean knife with every cut (just wipe it clean with a paper towel). This recipe isn't incredibly difficult, but it does require patience and time.  I hope you enjoy!!