Turtle Cheesecake
Yield: 16 servings
This layered Turtle Cheesecake is my own riff on a favorite Dairy Queen "Turtle Pecan Cluster" Blizzard ice cream treat. If you like cheesecake and the flavor of traditional turtles candy, you will LOVE this dessert!
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ¼ cup finely chopped pecans
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½" cubes
Cheesecake Filling
- ½ cup good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips, gently melted and cooled
- 32 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup thick caramel sauce
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
Chocolate Ganache
- ½ cup good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Finish
- 16 large roasted & salted whole pecans
- additional thick caramel sauce, optional for drizzling over individual pieces
Instructions
- Prepare a 9'' springform pan by lightly spraying it with non-stick spray. Place it on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil that is about 18'' square and securely wrap foil up around the pan's sides. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
Crust
- In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, salt, and pecans. Cut in butter with a rigid pastry cutter or a fork until crumbly. Press mixture evenly onto the bottom of prepared springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for about 14 minutes, or until set. Cool on a wire rack.
Cheesecake Filling
- First, gently melt chocolate chips in a small saucepan or microwave. Set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in ¼ cup of the flour, cream, and vanilla. Add eggs and beat on low speed just until blended.
- Remove 1 cup of cheesecake batter to a small bowl and stir in the melted and cooled chocolate. Spread this over cooled crust.
- In another bowl, mix caramel sauce with remaining flour, and then stir in pecans. Drop by tablespoonfuls over the chocolate batter. Top with remaining vanilla cheesecake batter. Place springform pan inside a large baking/roasting pan with tall sides and add 1'' of hot water to the larger pan (do not add water to the springform pan).
- Bake at 325°F for about 1 hour and 25 minutes, or just until center is set and top appears dull. Carefully remove springform pan from hot water bath and remove the outer foil wrapping. Let cheesecake cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then run a thin knife around the perimeter of the cheesecake to loosen it from the sides of the pan, leaving the sides of the pan in place. Cool 1 hour longer on the wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours - overnight is preferred.
Chocolate Ganache
- Place chocolate chips in a small heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring cream just to a boil. Pour cream over chips and let sit for 30 seconds. Then whisk until smooth. Let ganache cool slightly, stirring occasionally.
- Remove sides of springform pan. Spread ganache evenly over cheesecake, letting it drip down the sides of the cheesecake a bit.
Finish
- Place whole pecans evenly around the top perimeter of the cheesecake. Refrigerate until set.
- To serve, drizzle individual cheesecake slices with additional caramel sauce, if desired.
Notes
How to make light brown sugar: Add 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon unsulphured mild molasses to a small mixing bowl. Use a spatula to mix and mash the two together, until the mixture is evenly combined. Store in an airtight container or in a tightly sealed ziplock bag with excess air pressed out.
Adapted from Taste of Home, originally from Sue Gronholz.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1 Calories: 488kcal Carbohydrates: 41g Protein: 7g Fat: 34g Saturated Fat: 18g Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g Cholesterol: 122mg Sodium: 298mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 33g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.