Turtle Cheesecake

Directions

• Preheat oven to 325F. In a small microwave-safe vessel heat the heavy cream for the ganache until it just begins to bubble, around 40 seconds. Add the chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth and set aside.
• In a medium bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, chopped pecans and brown sugar. Add in the melted butter and stir until everything is evenly coated. Press into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9″ springform pan. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if mixing by hand) beat the cream cheese using the paddle attachment until smooth. Add in both sugars and mix again until smooth. Add in the sour cream (or yogurt), cream and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides, then add in the eggs and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Finish mixing by hand, if necessary.
• Pour 1/3 of the filling over the prepared crust, follow by 2 tbsp of the caramel sauce (recipe in the notes) and 1/2 of the ganache. Spread another 1/3 of the filling on top. Don’t worry if it doesn’t fully cover the toppings. Add another 2 tbsp of caramel and the remaining ganache on top, followed by the last of the filling. Clean the edges of the pan, then tap a few times on a counter to remove air bubbles.
• Make an insulated cake strip (check the notes) and wrap the pan with it. If you would prefer a water bath, place the springform into a pan and place that pan into another larger pan and fill the larger pan with enough boiling water to reach halfway up the smaller pan.
• Bake for 55-65 minutes or until the outer 1-1.5″ of the cheesecake are set but the center is still jiggly. To check, I recommend looking through the window of your oven and pushing your oven to shake the cheesecake, instead of opening the door. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and chill at least 8 hours. Slice and serve with additional toppings if desired. Enjoy! This will last 4-5 days in the fridge, or months in the freezer.