Mascarpone Cheesecake With Candied Pecans And Dulce De Leche Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Tightly wrap the outside of a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind the almonds, cracker crumbs, and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter and process until moist crumbs form. Press the almond mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan (not on the sides of the pan). Bake the crust until it is set and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Cool. Decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• For the filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and sugar in a large bowl until smooth, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
• Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the center of the cheesecake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 5 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold). Transfer the cake to a rack; cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• For the topping: Combine the chocolate-hazelnut spread and cream in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave until warm, stirring every 20 seconds to blend, about 1 minute.
• Cut the cake into wedges. Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the wedges and serve.

Steps:

• Combine whipping cream and brown sugar in heavy medium saucepan.
• Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
• Boil until mixture is reduced to 1 cup, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in sweetened condensed milk.
• (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over medium-low heat just until warm and pourable.).

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 inches square). Securely wrap foil around pan. In a large bowl, combine cookie crumbs, walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and butter. Press onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of prepared pan.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in milk, flour and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into crust.
• Pour dulce de leche into a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at 50% power until softened. Drop dulce de leche by tablespoonfuls over batter; cut through batter with a knife to swirl.
• Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 inches of hot water to larger pan. Bake 60-70 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull.
• Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chips; stir until smooth. Stir in chili powder. Spread over cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan.
• In a small bowl, whisk dulce de leche and hot water until smooth; drizzle over cheesecake. Yield: 16 servings.
• Editor's Note: This recipe was tested with Nestle La Lechera dulce de leche; look for it in the international foods section. If using Eagle Brand dulce de leche (caramel flavored sauce), thicken according to package directions before using.

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bottom and side of a 9-inch springform pan.
• Stir together cookie crumbs and butter in a bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup crumb mixture for sprinkling over cheesecake, then pat remainder onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up side of springform pan (about 1 inch thick). Put pan in a shallow baking pan and bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on a rack, about 25 minutes. Leave oven on.
• Make filling while crust bakes:
• Beat cream cheese, mascarpone, and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and salt and mix at low speed until combined. Pour into cooled crust and bake until cake is set and puffed around edge but still trembles slightly when pan is shaken gently, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool slightly in springform pan on rack, about 20 minutes. (Cheesecake will continue to set as it cools.) Leave oven on.
• Make topping:
• Stir together sour cream, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl and spoon over cheesecake, spreading gently and evenly, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edge.
• Bake cheesecake until topping is set, about 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge to help prevent cracking. Sprinkle top with reserved crumbs and cool completely in pan on rack, then chill, loosely covered, at least 8 hours.

Steps:

• For crust:.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Finely grine pecans in processor.
• Mix butter, flour, ground pecans, sugar and vanilla essence.
• Press into greased 9" springform pan.
• For filling:.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth.
• Add mascarpone and flour; beat until smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula.
• Gradually add sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in vanilla and lemon juice.
• Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
• Pour filling over crust in the springform pan.
• Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan.
• Bake cheesecake until top is golden and cake is almost set (center 2 inches will still move slightly when pan is gently shaken), about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile --
• For candied pecans:.
• Line baking sheet with foil; spray with nonstick spray.
• Combine sugar, and water in heavy small saucepan.
• Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves.
• Increase heat; boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with pastry brush dipped in water and swirling pan, about 7 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Immediately stir in pecans. Quickly pour mixture out onto prepared baking sheet. Working quickly and using 2 forks, separate pecans into individual halves. Cool completely.
• Break candied pecans apart, leaving each pecan half intact with some candied caramel attached.
• (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature. Makes about 1 cup.).
• (Can toast pecans at 350°F for 5-7 minutes first before stirring them into caramel).
• For dulce de leche sauce:.
• Combine whipping cream and brown sugar in heavy medium saucepan.
• Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
• Boil until mixture is reduced to 1 cup, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in sweetened condensed milk.
• (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over medium-low heat just until warm and pourable. Makes about 1 1/3 cups.).
• Cool cake on rack 1 hour.
• Refrigerate uncovered overnight.
• (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.).
• Arrange Candied Pecans decoratively atop cake. Cut cake into wedges. Serve with Dulce de Leche Sauce.
• *Italian cream cheese, available at Italian markets and many supermarkets.