TURTLE SWIRL CHEESECAKE

Turtle Swirl Cheesecake image

Provided by Michele Morosin

Yield Serves 12

Number Of Ingredients 12

Crust
1 9-ounce package chocolate wafer cookies
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Filling
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
5 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons whipping cream
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup purchased butterscotch caramel fudge sauce
1/2 cup (about) whole toasted pecans

Steps:

For Crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Finely grind cookies in processor. Blend in butter. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Wrap outside of springform pan with foil.
For Filling:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in vanilla extract.
Bring cream to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Add chocolate and stir until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
Pour half of cream cheese mixture into crust. Spoon half of chocolate mixture over by tablespoons, spacing evenly. Using tip of knife, swirl chocolate mixture into filling. Spoon remaining cream cheese mixture over. Spoon remaining chocolate mixture over by tablespoons. Swirl into filling. Bake until sides are set and center moves slightly when pan is shaken, about 1 hour 5 minutes. (Cake may crack.) Cool in pan on rack. Chill overnight.
Using small knife, cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Drizzle 1/4 cup caramel sauce over top of cake. Garnish with whole pecans. Pass remaining sauce separately.