INGREDIENTS
Crust Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups thin chocolate wafer crumbs (about 30 cookies)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
Filling Ingredients:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 eggs
Topping Ingredients:
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped*
2 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup caramel topping
* To toast pecans, sprinkle in ungreased heavy skillet. Cook over medium heat 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently until pecans begin to brown, then stirring constantly until light brown.
Directions for the Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Wrap foil around outside bottom and side of 9-inch springform pan to prevent drips. Spray bottom and 1 inch up side of pan with cooking spray.
2. In small bowl, mix cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press crumb mixture on bottom and 1 inch up side of pan. Bake crust 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool at room temperature 5 minutes. Refrigerate about 5 minutes or until completely cooled.
3. In another small bowl, mix flour, pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin; set aside.
4. In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in brown sugar and eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Gradually beat in pumpkin mixture until smooth. Pour filling over crust.
5. Bake 1 hour, 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes or until edge of cheesecake is set but center still jiggles slightly when moved.
6. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Turn oven off, open oven door at least 4 inches, and let cheesecake remain in oven 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes.
7. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight before serving. Just before serving, sprinkle pecans over top of cheesecake.
8. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate and oil uncovered on high 1 minute to 1 minute, 30 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted. Drizzle chocolate over pecans.
9. To serve, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake, carefully remove side of pan. Drizzle caramel topping over each serving.
