Pecan Pie Cheesecake
This brown sugar cheesecake captures the essence of pecan pie with a layer of pecan pie filling on top of a crust of vanilla wafers!
So I have umpteen million different cheesecake recipes on my list of recipes I want to try. My decision to make this particular recipe was based solely on wanting to spoil my husband before he went out to the field for 2 weeks and survived on MREs. My husband loves pecan pie. I don't. He only gets it at Christmas if his Granny brings it for Christmas Day dinner (because we don’t see our family at Thanksgiving - yay, military life). I had a Pecan Pie Cheesecake recipe in my arsenal from a blog called Heidi's So-Called Life and decided that even though it's not autumn yet, it would hit the spot perfectly for my husband. :)
The recipe itself was actually pretty simple even though it looks complex. I took Heidi's tip of a casserole dish full of hot water underneath the cheesecake while it baked and I had NO cracking! I don't have a dish big enough to sit my springform pan in to do an actual water bath. This was the best cheesecake I've made - I'd almost say my very first successful cheesecake.
The cheesecake was rich and decadent - perfectly smooth and the crust with the vanilla wafers was so much more delicate than the traditional graham crackers. Do I really need to sell the pecan pie filling part? It was the traditional gooey, sweet pecan pie layered in between the cheesecake and crust. Even though I'm not the biggest fan of pecan pie, the crunchy sweetness paired perfectly with the cheesecake. This is sure to be a hit for any pecan pie lover!
What you need:
For the Crust:
1 3/4 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
For the Pecan Filling:
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla
For the Cheesecake Filling:
3 pkg. cream cheese
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla
Directions:
For the Crust: Combine crumbs and brown sugar. Stir in butter.
Press into a springform pan that has been lined with parchment paper and sides sprayed with nonstick spray.
Bake for 6 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Cool. Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees.
For the Pecan Filling: Combine ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Simmer on low for 8 to 10 minutes. Then pour onto crust.
For the Cheesecake Filling: Beat cream cheese at medium speed until creamy.
Add brown sugar and flour. Mix until just combined.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir in cream and vanilla. Mix until just combined.
Pour on top of pecan filling.
Bake for 1 hour in preheated 325 degree oven.
Then turn off the oven and leave cake in the oven with the door closed for one more hour.
Remove from oven. Run a knife around the edges to loosen the sides. Chill in refrigerator for 4 hours before serving.
Recipe from Heidi's So-Called Life
Recipe originally posted on Fantastical Sharing of Recipes on August 7, 2012