Turtle Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

4 oz semisweet baking chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup Imperial sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Filling

4 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened & room temperature

1 cup Imperial sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature

4 eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup caramel topping

Topping

1/2 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons caramel topping

OPT:

Fudge Frosting

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Wrap the outside of the pan with double thickness heavy duty foil

In a saucepan melt the butter and chocolate over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, stir in Imperial sugar until blended.

Add one egg at a time stirring well after each egg. Stir in the salt, vanilla, flour and pecans blending well. Spread evenly in the prepared pan using a small offset spatula. Bake for 15 minutes or until the top is set but still soft. Remove from the oven and set aside on a rack.

In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on low speed until creamy. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until well blended. Add sour cream and beat again until blended. On medium speed add one egg at a time, beating after each one. Spread half of the filling over the crust. Drop 1/4 cup caramel topping by teaspoonfuls over the filling: swirl with a knife. Top with remaining filling. Drop remaining 1/4 cup caramel topping by teaspoonfuls over filling: swirl with a knife.

Place the springform pan inside a larger pan. Place in the oven then take a cup and pour hot water in the larger pan to about one inch of springform pan.

Bake for 1 hour or until the top of cheesecake is almost set. If using a thermometer, insert in the center and it should read 150. Immediately run a knife around the sides of cheesecake to loosen. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. If leaving in the refrigerator overnight; loosely cover the pan with foil to prevent condensation. 

For topping, in a skillet add the pecans and cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or till lightly brown. Add caramel topping to pecans; cook and stir for 1 minute until nuts are glazed. Spread over cheesecake in the center.