My go to New York cheesecake with a thick caramel and chocolate layer and pecan pieces. Make this cake if you want more than a regular cheesecake.
Crunchy pecans baked in the crust and caramel layer. Is there something better than a chocolate ganache filling?
Chocolate, Caramel and Nuts are a great combination
Let me introduce you the six amazing layers of this cheesecake. The first one is the most important one for a lot of people: the graham cracker crust. I am talking crunchy, buttery and lightly sweet. The cookie crust is topped with a layer of caramel. A silky chocolate ganache layer thrones on top of the caramel. A thick cheesecake layer is the star of this cake. Decorated is it with a layer of caramel and chocolate.
Read here my tips for a crackfree cheesecake every time!
Turtle Caramel Cheesecake
Ingredients
For graham crust:
2 cups (270 g) graham cookie crumbs
8 tbsp (114 g) butter, melted
2 tbsp (30 g) brown sugar
3 tbsp (30 g) pecan pieces, optional
For the caramel sauce:
2 cups (400 g) white sugar
1/3 cup (80 ml) water, optional
1/3 cup (80 g) butter, soft
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, warm
1/3 cup (45 g) flour
1/4 cup (30 g) pecan pieces
For the chocolate filling:
4 oz (120 g) semi sweet chocolate
6 tbsp (90 ml) heavy cream
For the cheesecake batter:
24oz (675 g) cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup (240 g) sour cream
3 large eggs
3/4 cup (175 g) brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
For the chocolate decoration:
2 oz (60 g) semi sweet chocolate
3 tbsp heavy cream
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1:
To make the caramel sauce use a medium sized sauce pan and add sugar and water if desired. Let it melt and caramelize without stirring it but keep a close eye on it since it tends to burn quickly. Remove the caramel from the heat and add butter in pieces. Mix it until combined. Slowly pour in the heavy cream and mix it until it is combined. I like to place it back on the hot stove top for that. Then set aside and let cool.
Step 2:
Preheat oven to 350 °F. To make the graham cracker crust use a food processor and pulse cookies until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter and pulse until combined. Fill in prepared 8 or 9-inch springform pan. Press into bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack and change the oven temperature to 300 °F. Heat up some water for the water bath.
Step 3:
While the crust is baking make the cheesecake batter. Use a large mixing bowl and add cream cheese and flour. Mix it on the lowest setting of an electric mixer until it is smooth. This should take about 4 minutes. Add white sugar and sour cream and mix it in. Then add vanilla and keep mixing it. Add the eggs and mix until smooth.
Step 4:
To make the chocolate filling simply chop dark chocolate and pour hot heavy cream over it. Let it sit for about 2 minutes, then whisk it until smooth. Set aside.
Step 5:
Separate 1 cup of the caramel and set it aside. Mix in flour into the rest of the caramel. When it is fully combined pour it into the crust. Let it chill for about 10 minutes until it is hard. Then top it with the chocolate ganache layer. Let it set for a few minutes in the fridge. Slowly top it with the cheesecake batter and spread it with a spatula to cover the whole surface. Wrap the cake in aluminum foil to prevent water from entering. Place the cake in the oven in a water bath. Then bake at 300 °F for about 70 minutes. After baking turn off the oven without opening it and let the cheesecake cool in oven for about 15 minutes. Then cut around the edges of the cheesecake to loosen it from the pan and let the cake cool with a slightly open oven door for about 30 minutes. remove water bath and take out the cheesecake on a wire rack. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Step 6:
Decorate the cooled cake with some caramel and chocolate ganache. For the chocolate ganache bring the heavy cream to a simmer and pour the hot cream over the chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Let it sit for 3 minutes, then whisk it until it comes together. It should have a smooth consistency but not be too runny. Let the ganache cool to almost room temperature while the cake is cooling in the fridge. Then make some lines on top of the caramel topping. Decorate it with some pecan pieces and that's it!
Enjoy cold!
**Pro Tips**
To soften cream cheese very nicely fill hot water in a big heat safe bowl place the cream cheese packages into the bowl and let them soften for about 10 minutes. It will cream very nicely without mixing in too much air.
If the cheesecake has a layer of condense water on its top after cooling use a paper towel and dry it before adding the caramel layer.
