It is that time of the year for all the indulgent desserts…enter stage left this Pecan Caramel Cheesecake. It has the ultimate velvety, melt in your mouth cream cheese filling, pecan crunch and caramel bliss. Whether you’re planning a special celebration or simply treating yourself to a slice of luxury, this cheesecake is sure to impress.
Tools You’ll Need:
8-inch Springform Pan
Food processor – A food processor is optional but it will make crushing the cookies into crumbs much easier and faster. If you don’t have a food processor, you can put the cookies in a large ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin instead.
Tips and Tricks:
Bring cream cheese, sour cream and eggs to room temperature to ensure a smooth filling.
To avoid cracks, bake the cheesecake in a water bath. To do this double line the springform pan with heavy duty foil, place in a larger roasting pan in the oven and half fill with boiling water. Alternatively place a large pan filled with about an inch of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven with the cheesecake in the center above.
Careful not to over-bake the cheesecake. Over-baked cheesecake cracks and looses the creaminess. The cheesecake is done when the edges are set and the center is still a little jiggly. The cheesecake will set as it cools and then chills in the refrigerator.
Let the cheesecake cool in the oven once baked. Turn the oven off and crack open the oven door with a wooden spoon and leave the cheesecake inside for at least 1 hour. Sudden changes in temperature isn’t ideal for cheesecake and may make it crack. After the cheesecake has cooled in the oven for at least 1 hour (or even longer), you can take it out and let it finish cooling at room temperature.
Chill your cheesecake for at least 4 hours or even overnight before topping and serving.
Storage
To preserve the freshness and flavor of your Pecan Caramel Cheesecake, store it in the refrigerator. Cover it with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Enjoy within 3-4 days for the best taste. Alternatively cheesecake freezes very well. I usually cut mine into portions, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze so that two of us don’t eat a whole cheesecake in one go!
Make in advance:
Caramel: The caramel can be made ahead of time. Store in the fridge till ready to use
Glazed pecans: They can be made a few days ahead time. Store in an airtight container. They may soften a bit, but you can always toast them in the oven for a couple of minutes to crisp them back up if you like.
Cheesecake: The cheesecake can be made ahead of time kept in the fridge for up to two days. Wrap in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. Longer than that I recommend freezing. Add the topping just before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Can I use a different type of nut for the topping?
A: Absolutely! While I love pecans, I highly recommend hazelnuts, macadamias or feel free to experiment with any nuts you like.
Pecan Caramel Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust:
160g sweet oat cookies
80g unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
600g full-fat cream cheese, room temp
40g dark brown sugar
210g sour cream
2 tsp vanilla essence
4 large eggs
Caramel sauce:
200g granulated sugar
50ml water
80g unsalted butter, cubed
100ml whipping/heavy cream
Maple glazed pecan topping:
180g pecans
4 tbsp maple syrup
4 tbsp corn syrup
4 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
Caramel sauce
Add the sugar to a heavy-based saucepan and stir in the water. Place over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Cook without stirring for 5-8mins until the mixture turns amber coloured. Take off the heat, then add in the butter and then the cream, whisking continuously after each addition. Set aside and let cool, or keep in fridge till ready to use.
Glazed pecans
Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Mix the maple syrup, corn syrup, sugar and salt in a medium bowl and toss in the pecans to coat with the mix. Spread evenly on the baking sheet. Toast the nuts in the oven and stir every few minutes when they begin to bubble. The pecans are done when they are golden brown and the syrup is thicker and bubbling slowly. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Once cooled, break apart the pecans.
Crust
Pre heat the oven to 350F.
Crush the biscuits into fine crumbs using a food processor. Or put in a sandwich bag, and roll/bash with a rolling pin. Add the biscuits to a bowl with melted butter and mix to a sandy mixture. Grease an 8-inch springform pan well with butter and line the base with baking paper. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and around the edges of the pan and bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool while you prepare the filling.
Filling
Lower the oven temperature to 325ºF.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and continue to beat until well combined. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract and beat until fully combined. Add the eggs one at a time beating after each addition until just combined. Pour the filling over the base.
Double line the cake pan with heavy duty foil, place in a larger roasting pan in the oven and half fill with boiling water. This will form a water bath around the cheesecake and stop the cheesecake from cracking. Alternatively place a large pan filled with about an inch of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven with the cheesecake in the center above.
Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 1 hour. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside to cool slowly for 1hr, then leave to cool on the countertop. Then refrigerate for at least 4hrs before serving. This slow cooling will stop the cheesecake cracking.
When ready to serve slightly warm the caramel sauce, pour all over the top place the glazed pecans on top.
