NEW YORK CHEESECAKE WITH CARAMEL SAUCE AND BLACK/WHITE PIPED MEDALLIONS

NEW YORK CHEESECAKE WITH CARAMEL SAUCE AND BLACK/WHITE PIPED MEDALLIONS image

Yield 8-10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 23

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Ingredients

For crust:
1 1/3 cups finely grated graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
5 tbsp. melted butter
Pinch of salt
For filling:
4 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup sour cream
For caramel sauce:
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Other:
1 block white chocolate almond bark
1 block chocolate almond bark

Steps:

TO MAKE THE CRUST: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1 inch up the side of a buttered 9 inch spring form pan. Bake for 10 minutes in a shallow baking sheet. Allow crust to cool completely in spring form pan on rack. TO MAKE THE FILLING: Beat together cream cheese, sugar, & flour with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs and yolks 1 at a time, then vanilla, beating on low speed until each ingredient is incorporated. Put spring form pan with crust in a shallow baking pan. Pour filling into crust and bake in baking pan (to catch drips) in middle of oven 12 minutes, or until puffed. Reduce temperature to 200°F and continue baking until cake is mostly firm (center will still be slightly wobbly when pan is gently shaken), about 1 hour more. Run a knife around top edge of cake to loosen and cool completely in spring form pan on a rack. Chill cake, loosely covered, at least 6 hours. Remove side of pan and transfer cake to a plate. Bring to room temperature before serving. TO MAKE THE CARAMEL SAUCE: Bring the water, sugar, and butter to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Do not stir the mixture until the sugar has completely dissolved in the water. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the caramel has turned golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully pour in a slow, steady stream of cream into the caramel while stirring constantly. The hot caramel will boil vigorously when the cream is added and solidify in areas. Add the vanilla extract and salt. Continue stirring over low heat until the caramel is smooth and creamy, 5 to 10 minutes more. TO MAKE CHOCOLATE MEDALLIONS: Heat each block of bark in a microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and continue at 15 second intervals until melted. Place in a piping bag and pipe design onto silicon sheet. Freeze for 5 minutes and remove.