Pralines and Cream Cheesecake
Pralines and Cream Cheesecake
We all know everyone has been doing lots of baking in quarantine, but I’m sure many of you, like me, can’t get their hands on yeast. Also there’s only so much bread you can eat, right?! The same cannot be said about cheesecake. There is no limit to how much cheesecake you can eat.
I saw a few recipes for a pecan pie style cheesecake that looked like a delicious home baking challenge. I was not prepared. This recipe is SO GOOD. Like probably one of the best desserts I’ve ever made. I decide to rename it Pralines and Cream Cheesecake because to me it tasted exactly like Baskin Robbins Pralines and Cream Ice Cream but in cheesecake form. If that doesn’t entice you then ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
INGREDIENTS
Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup ground pecans
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Filling
750 g (26 oz.) cream cheese (3 packages), room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
4 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream
Topping
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
YIELD
1 large cheesecake
TIME
Crust - 20 min
Filling - 1 hour, 20 min
Chill - 8 hours+
Topping - 30 min
TOOLS
11” Springform pan*
Medium bowl
Stand or hand mixer
Medium saucepan
Sheet pan
DIRECTIONS
Crust
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 11” springform pan.
Combine graham cracker crumbs, ground pecans, sugar, melted butter, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Mix until crumbly.
Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes until light golden brown. Set aside to cool.
Filling
Lower the oven to 325°F.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer) combine the softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix on medium speed for 5 minutes, scraping the bottom and side occasionally.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
Turn the mixer to low speed and add the heavy cream.
Pour the mixture into the crust. Bake for 40 minutes at 325°F. Then reduce the temperature to 300°F and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. The cheesecake will be done when the edges are set but the centre is still a little jiggly.
Allow to cool to room temperature on a cooling rack. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge to cool for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Topping
Spread pecans out on a sheet pan. Toast for 10 minutes in the oven at 300°F. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat melt the sugar. Stir constantly to prevent it from burning. It will begin to turn amber and then melt completely. This process will take some time so be patient.
Add the butter once the sugar has completely melted. The mixture will bubble rapidly so be careful when you add it. Use a whisk to mix in the butter until completely melted, about 2 minutes.
Continue stirring as you pour in the heavy cream. Add the corn syrup and vanilla. Allow the mixture to boil for 30 seconds and then remove from the heat. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then add toasted pecans. Allow the mixture to cool for 5-10 minutes before adding to the cheesecake, stir occasionally to prevent it from beginning to set.
Take your cheesecake out of the fridge and place it on a pan covered in aluminum foil (the next part is a bit messy). Slowly spoon the caramel topping over the cold cheesecake. Once it stops dripping, put in the fridge to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Cut and serve! Store in the fridge.
Recipe adapted from Plated Cravings.
NOTES
*You can use a 9” pan. If you are using a smaller pan you can press the crust up the side of your pan instead of just on the bottom. Just be sure not to overfill you pan when you add filling and add an additional 5 minutes to bake the filling.
