Turtle Cheesecake
Crust
1 9-ounce package chocolate wafer cookies (chocolate graham crackers or chocolate animals crackers work well)
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 chips
Topping
1 cup caramel sauce (I gently boil a can of sweetened condensed milk covered completely in water in a covered stock pot for about 3 hours, cool slightly, open and pour onto cheesecake)
1/2 cup (about) chopped toasted pecans
chocolate ganache (melt about 4 oz chocolate chips with 2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream)
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 spring-form pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Double wrap outside of spring-form 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. (This can be done in the microwave) Remove from heat.
Pour cream cheese mixture into crust. Spoon chocolate mixture over by tablespoons, spacing evenly. Using tip of knife, swirl chocolate mixture into filling. If you feel chocolate mixture is too thick just stir in a bit of the cheese mixture. Place cheesecake in a pan filled with water so it comes about 1/3 up the side of the cheese cake pan and 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 caramel and chocolate ganache over top of cake. Garnish with pecans.
