Recipe: Turtle Pecan Cheesecake

TURTLE PECAN CHEESECAKE
Source: Steven Gerber

FOR THE CRUST:
2 cups crushed chocolate cookies
1/4 cup butter, melted
FOR THE FILLING:
20 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs
2 Tbsp. whipping cream
FOR THE CARAMEL DRIZZLE:
1 (14 oz.) pkg. caramels
1/3 cup whipping cream
FOR THE CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE:
4 oz. German chocolate
1 tsp. butter
2 Tbsp. whipping cream
1 cup toasted chopped pecans (for topping)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.

Beat cream cheese in large bowl until creamy. Add sugar, flour, vanilla, and salt. Mix well.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in whipping cream. Pour over crust.

Bake 10 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees. Continue baking 35-40 minutes, or until set. Loosen cake from rim of pan. Cool.

TO PREPARE THE CARAMEL DRIZZLE:
Combine caramels and 1/3 cup whipping cream. Heat until melted and smooth.

TO PREPARE THE CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE:
Combine chocolate, 1 tsp. butter and 2 Tbsp. whipping cream. Heat until melted and smooth.

Remove rim. Drizzle with caramel in one direction and chocolate in another direction. Sprinkle with pecans and refrigerate until serving time.