Turtle Cheesecake

I made this cheesecake for Steve on his birthday in August and everyone loved it.  It's a rich creamy New York style cheesecake with pieces of toasted pecans, caramel and pieces of chocolate, all covered in my Aunt Carole's recipe for Chocolate Glaze.  On the bottom is my signature shortbread crust with chopped toasted pecans for added flavour. 

These cheesecakes are huge, be sure to use a 9" spring form pan for best results.  The first bite alone is worth the time and effort, enjoy and don't forget the rules!!!

Turtle Cheesecake

Ingredients - Crust
1 cup of butter
2/3 cup of white sugar
2 cups of flour
1 cup of chopped toasted pecans
2 tsp of vanilla
3/4 cup of choc chips/chunks
Skor Bits
Caramel Ice Cream sauce

Wrap the outside of the spring form pan with foil, covering the bottom and sides
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy
Add flour and 1/2 cup of finely chopped pecans until blended and press into a greased 9" spring form pan
Sprinkle chocolate chips, skor bits if you have them and the remaining toasted pecans on the crust
Drizzle caramel sauce (a few spoonfuls) all over the crust and set aside (unbaked)

Ingredients - Cheesecake
4 pkgs/bricks of cream cheese at room temperature **use only full fat
1 2/3 cups of white sugar
1/4 cups of corn starch
1 tbsp of vanilla
2 extra large eggs
3/4 cups of heavy whipping cream

Put one package of cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar and corn starch in a large bowl and beat on low until creamy (about 3 minutes) scraping down the bowl several times.  Blend in the remaining cream cheese one package at a time scraping down the sides after each one
Increase mixing speed to medium and blend in the remaining sugar and vanilla
Blend in eggs one at a time, beating well after each one
Blend in the whipping cream but be careful to not over mix
Gently spoon batter over the crust
Drizzle more of the caramel sauce on top of the batter and sprinkle with a few chocolate chips
Place the cake in a large shallow pan (I use my roasting pan) and fill the pan with water so it comes up the side approximately 1". 
Bake at 350 until the edges are a light golden brown and the top is a light golden tan colour, approximately 1 1/4 hours. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and take off the foil.  Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cold (at least 4 hours, but overnight is best)

Ingredients - Aunt Carole's Chocolate Glaze
9 double squares of Baker's Chocolate, chopped
150 ml of whipping cream
2 tbsp of margarine or butter
1 tsp of vanilla

Heat cream and remove from heat adding chopped up chocolate
Let sit for 30 seconds
Add margarine and vanilla and stir until completely melted

Remove the outer ring from the cheesecake and place it on a wire rack with wax paper underneath, slowly pour the chocolate over the top and down the sides.  Return the cheesecake to the fridge to allow the chocolate to harden.

Cut and serve with a sharp edged knife, not a serrated one.  If there is any leftover cheesecake wrap it and store in the fridge or freezer to ensure none goes to waste!!!