Ingredients
Crust:
24 Oreo cookies, finely crushed into crumbs
6 Tbsp. Land O Lakes unsalted butter, melted
pinch of salt
Caramel-Pecan Layer:
1 1/2 cups caramel sauce
1 cup chopped pecans
Cheesecake:
32 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups Domino granulated sugar
4 Eggland’s eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup Borden heavy cream
1 tbl. vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache:
3/4 cup Borden heavy cream
1/4 cup light corn syrup
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions:
Crust: Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt, mix until all of the crumbs are moistened. Press into the bottom and two inches up the sides of a 9″ springform pan. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Bake for in the preheated oven 7 minutes, or until crust is firm. Remove from oven and cool completely.
Caramel-Pecan Layer: Stir together the caramel sauce and pecans. Pour onto the cooled crust and gently spread into an even layer. Refrigerate while the cheesecake is prepared.
Cheesecake: Beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the heavy cream and vanilla and beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Pour the batter on top of the caramel-pecan layer and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the edges are set, but the middle still jiggles a little.
Keeping the oven door closed, turn off the oven and let the cheesecake rest in the oven for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the cheesecake from the oven, and place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely, about an additional 2 hours. Once completely cool, refrigerate for at least 6 hours (preferably overnight).
Chocolate Ganache: Combine the heavy cream, corn syrup, chocolate and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Set the glaze aside to cool and thicken at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Pour the ganache over the top of the cheesecake, gently spreading it to the edges. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, or until set. Remove the sides of the pan, garnish with additional caramel sauce and chopped pecans, and serve. Leftover cheesecake can be stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
