Caramel Pecan Cheesecake
This decadent Caramel Pecan Cheesecake features a velvety cinnamon cheesecake that is topped with a warm caramel pecan sauce.
Equipment
- Stand mixer
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 ¾ cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
- 1/4 cup White Sugar
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, melted
Caramel Pecan Cheesecake
- 32 oz (1000g) Cream Cheese, well softened (4 blocks of cream cheese)
- 1 ½ cups White Sugar
- 1 tbsp Vanilla
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 3 Large Eggs, at room temperature
- 2 Large Egg Yolks, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 3/4 cup Sour Cream
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
Caramel Pecan Sauce
- 3/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar
- 9 tbsp Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 cups Pecans
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla
- 1/4 tsp Salt
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the graham cracker crumbs and sugar to a bowl and whisk until well combined. Pour the melted butter into the bowl, then mix with a fork, or your hands, until the butter is well dispersed and the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Grease a 9” or 10” springform pan, then add the crust into pan and press it down evenly into the bottom. Use a flat bottom measuring cup to really compact the crust down. Place the crust into the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
Caramel Pecan Cheesecake
- Turn the oven down to 325°F. Prepare the cooled springform pan (with the crust) by wrapping the bottom of the pan with 2 sheets of tinfoil, then set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, or stand mixer, add the soft cream cheese and beat on low until it looks soft and creamy – about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt, and beat on low until very creamy – 3-4 minutes. While still beating on low, add the eggs and yolks, one at a time, ensuring that each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next, ensuring that you are also scraping at the bowl as necessary.
- Add the heavy cream and sour cream, then beat on low until the cheesecake filling looks creamy, smooth, and uniform. Finally, add in cornstarch then beat on low one last time on low until the corn starch is well-combined.
- Pour the filling over top of the cooled crust in the springform pan, then place the cheesecake into a large roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan so that it reaches about halfway up the outside of the springform pan. Place into the oven to bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. When the cheesecake is done it should still be a little jiggly in the centre.
- When done, lightly crack the oven open to allow the cheesecake to slowly cool for about an hour and a half. After an hour and a half, remove the cheesecake from the oven and water-bath and place onto the counter to cool to room temperature. Once at room temperature, wrap with plastic wrap and place into the fridge for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.
Caramel Pecan Sauce
- In a skillet over medium heat, begin toasting the pecans in the pan for 3 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. After, remove the pecans from the pan, and set aside for later.
- Add the brown sugar and butter to the skillet. Heat while whisking, until the sauce comes together nicely and begins to boil.
- Next, while whisking, slowly drizzle in the heavy cream. After all of the cream has been added and is well-combined, remove from the heat, then add in the toasted pecans, vanilla, and salt. Fold everything together, then allow the sauce to cool for 20 - 30 minutes.
- After 20 - 30 minutes, pour the warm caramel pecan sauce over the cheesecake and serve immediately.