Eli's turtle cheesecake

14 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 tablespoon Butter
1 pack Nabisco Famous chocolate wafers (9 oz), fine crushed
3 tablespoons Chopped walnuts
⅓ cup Unsalted butter, melted
1½ pounds Cream cheese; room temp
½ cup Dark brown sugar; packed
⅓ cup Granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Flour
¼ teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Vanilla
3 Eggs
1 Egg yolk
¼ cup Heavy cream
5 Turtle candies; (Nestle or Fannie May Pixies), chopped
½ cup Heavy cream
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 tablespoon Butter
8 ounces Milk chocolate chips
Pecan halves or pieces

Directions

CHOCOLATE WALNUT CRUMB CRUST

FILLING

MILK CHOCOLATE GANACHE

GARNISH

Prepare the crust:

1. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with 1 tablespoon butter.

2. Combine cookie crumbs, nuts and melted butter in a medium bowl.

Toss until butter is absorbed. Press crumb mixture on the bottom and sides of pan. Refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes.

Prepare the filling:

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour and salt with an electric mixer at medium speed until free of lumps. Mix in vanilla. Beat in eggs and yolk, one at a time, and continue beating until batter is smooth. Stir in cream and candies. Pour filling into crust.

4. Bake on the middle shelf in a preheated 325-degree oven until cheesecake is fairly firm to touch (center will jiggle slightly when pan is tapped), about 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate at least 6 hours.

5. Remove cheesecake from pan and decorate as desired. Diana Moles of Eli's research and development staff suggests drizzling the cake with milk chocolate ganache, or drizzling with Smucker's Magic Shell chocolate topping or a prepared caramel sauce (at room temperature) and then sprinkling pecan halves or pieces on top. Refrigerate until time to serve.

Milk Chocolate Ganache:

Combine cream, sugar and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat (do not let boil). Add chocolate chips. Whisk until melted and thoroughly blended. Let cool. Drizzle ganache over cake with a pastry bag or a spoon.

Served at the Chicago 1996 Democratic National Convention.

Source: Chicago Sun Times, August 21, 1996

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