Caramel Pecan Cheesecake
This recipe appeared on the Travel Channel many years ago by the restaurant owners of Rocking V Cafe in Kanab, Utah. It looked so good that I had to try it. It is delicious!
This recipe appeared on the Travel Channel many years ago by the restaurant owners of Rocking V Cafe in Kanab, Utah. It looked so good that I had to try it. It is delicious!
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- -- filling --
- -- crust --
- 2 cup graham crackers crushed
- 1/2 cup pecan chopped
- 24 ounce cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoon pure vanilla exrtact
- 1/4 cup amaretto liqeur
- 3 cup sour cream
- 1 cup caramel topping
- 1 cup pecan halves
- whipped cream optional
- Carbohydrate 100.121381666667 g
- Cholesterol 383.392083333333 mg
- Fat 72.1860425 g
- Fiber 4.33158343235652 g
- Protein 18.2028641666667 g
- Saturated Fat 27.55460775 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (322g)
- Sodium 653.605333333333 mg
- Sugar 95.7897982343102 g
- Trans Fat 6.85727866666669 g
- Calories 1094 calories
Step-by-step
- To make the crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium sized bowl, mix your crust ingredients together and press into the bottom of a 9 or 10 " springform pan.
- Bake the crust for 8 minutes.
- Cool the crust out on the counter while you are making the filling and turn down the oven temperature to 325 F.
- To make your filling: In a large bowl, whip the cream cheese until smooth.
- Beat in the sugar.
- Add your eggs and beat until the batter is a smooth consistency.
- Scrape down your bowl occasionally to make sure that batter is evenly mixed.
- Add the salt, pure vanilla extract and Amaretto to the bowl and continue to beat the mixture until smooth.
- Add the sour cream and beat until it is just blended in.
- Pour filling into your cooled crust.
- Gently stir in 3/4 of the caramel topping to the top half layer of the cheesecake.
- Make sure that the caramel is only going through the top half, so that you ensure none of the crust is being broken up by the stirring.
- I like to make a swirl effect, but you may choose to just add it as one even layer across the top.
- Arrange pecan halves around the edge of the cake in a circle and then drizzle the remaining caramel over the pecan halves.
- Bake the cheesecake for 50 minutes, then shut off oven and leave in oven for about 1 1/2 hours.
- Remove from oven and continue to let cool slowly on the counter for another 1 1/2 hours.
- Then, refrigerate for 6 hours.
- When almost ready to serve, put cake in freezer for 1/2 hour to finish setting up.
- When ready to slice, dip a knife into hot water between each slice to be cut.
- This allows for nice clean slicing.
- You may refrigerate any leftovers covered with plastic wrap for up to 3 or 4 days, but I doubt it will last that long !
Limited oven space demands precise temperature management, starting at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for the crumb crust before dropping to 325 degrees for the custard phase. A nine or ten inch springform pan is mandatory here, allowing the delicate structure to release safely without tearing the fragile edges. Cream cheese must achieve complete room-temperature softening prior to mixing, otherwise lumps will persist no matter how long the paddle attachment spins. Scraping down the bowl repeatedly ensures the dense dairy incorporates evenly with the sugar and eggs without introducing excessive air pockets.
Substitutions alter structural integrity significantly when working with heavy dairy proportions. Replacing sour cream with plain Greek yogurt changes the moisture content and acidity of the batter, requiring adjustments to baking duration to prevent a chalky mouthfeel. Standard table salt behaves differently than kosher salt due to grain size differences; measure strictly by weight if swapping varieties to maintain proper flavor balance against the sweetness of the caramel.
Fresh pecans toasted lightly on the sheet pan yield a deeper, more pronounced nut flavor than pre-packaged alternatives that have sat on pantry shelves absorbing ambient moisture. Preserved caramel toppings contain stabilizers that prevent separation under heat, whereas homemade caramel might scorch or liquefy too quickly during the baking cycle. Keep raw nuts stored in the freezer until the precise moment of assembly to preserve their natural oils and prevent rancidity.
Thermal shock ruins cheesecakes rapidly, which is why the gradual cooling method utilizing a turned-off oven for ninety minutes is non-negotiable. Dipping the slicing blade into hot water between every individual cut melts through sticky caramel layers instantly. Leftovers stored under plastic wrap remain stable for three to four days before the crust begins to absorb moisture from the filling.
