Recipe: Praline-Crusted Cheesecake - Here is your recipe LaJeania

PRALINE-CRUSTED CHEESECAKE

This was featured in Southern Living magazine as "Dessert of the Month". It is described as a buttery cookie-and-praline crust beneath a dense, creamy filling. I would agree. I love cheesecake and it is one of the best I have made. It was also very beautiful. I know that this is a pretty detailed recipe, but it is worth the effort for a special occasion.

PRALINES:
butter
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup half-and-half
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
CHEESECAKE:
2 cups crushed shortbread cookies (about 28 cookies)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
4 pralines, coarsely crumbled
5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind
TOPPING:
2 (8 ounce) containers sour cream
1/3 cup sugar

PRALINES:
Butter bottom of a heavy 3-quart saucepan.

Cook brown sugar, sugar, half and half, and butter in saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugars dissolve; stir in pecans.

Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 238 degrees (soft ball stage).

Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla; let stand 3 minutes.

Beat with a wooden spoon 3 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken.

Working rapidly, drop by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper. Let stand until firm.

CHEESECAKE:
Combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press into bottom and up sides of a greased 10-inch springform pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Sprinkle coarsely crumbled pralines over crust.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with a heavy duty electric mixer until creamy.

Gradually add 1 3/4 cups sugar, flour, and vanilla, beating until smooth.

Add eggs and egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.

Stir in whipping cream and lemon rind. Pour in crust. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees on lower oven rack 10 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees, and bake 1 hour and 20 minutes or until almost set. Cool on wire rack 1 hour.

TOPPING:
Stir together sour cream and 1/3 cup sugar; spread over cheesecake.

Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Remove sides of pan. Garnish, if desired with pralines.