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Saturday, February 11, 2012

Sweet Treats Saturday: White Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake

This decadent treat is well worth the effort!  It's a white chocolate cheesecake with the traditional graham cracker crust, then covered in gooey caramel.  You don't have to go overboard with the caramel (like I did), but I figured, what they hey!  The caramel glaze does make about twice the amount that you actually need, but it would be great to put aside for another recipe, like blondies, to add a caramel layer.


You can make you cheesecake ahead of time (in fact, you need to at least make it the night before) so that it's set and cold when time to put on the caramel glaze.  I made mine a couple of nights before, just to pace out the kitchen time.

The cheesecake is delicious. I'm not a huge fan of white chocolate but the combination with caramel enticed me to try it.  The white chocolate flavor was, in fact, very mild, and the overall cheesecake went perfectly with the sauce.  Now I just need a special occasion as an excuse to make this again!




White Chocolate Cheesecake with Caramel Glaze

Crust
10 ounces graham crackers, crushed into crumbs
7 tablespoons unsalted butter

Cheesecake Filling
3 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces good quality white chocolate, chopped
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt
boiling water for a water bath
Caramel Sauce
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 pint heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter


To Make the Crust:
Pre-heat the oven to 375°F. Combine the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and press into the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the side of a 10 inch spring form pan.

B
ake for 10 minutes and then allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

To Make the Cheesecake:
Reduce the heat to 325°F and prepare the cheesecake batter.

Place the chopped white chocolate into a heat safe bowl and set aside. Bring the 1/2 cup of cream to a simmer over medium heat in a small sauce pan. Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate, jiggle the bowl to submerge it and allow to stand for one minute. Stir the chocolate gently until melted completely.

In your mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth and lump free. Add the sugar and mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

On medium speed, slowly add the white chocolate ganache. Once combined you can add the eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed until each egg is incorporated. Once you've added all the eggs, mix in the vanilla and salt and pour into your prepared pan.

Set the pan onto a couple large sheets of aluminum foil and smooth them up the sides of the pan to waterproof. 


Set the cheesecake into a large roasting pan and then place in the oven. Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan, filling to about one inch (no higher than the lowest edge of aluminum foil). Allow to make at 325°F for one hour then reduce heat and bake at 300°F for an additional 60-90 minutes until the center is just set.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool chill for at least 4 hours before serving.


To Make the Caramel Sauce:In a medium sauce pan over medium high heat (I'm using non-stick for this), combine the sugar and lemon juice. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is mostly melted then set aside the spoon and swirl the pan over the heat to keep the color even throughout.

Caramel sauce cooking
Continue to cook and swirl until it sugar turns a medium amber color. Watch it carefully, the sugar will quickly darken and should it become dark brown or black it will taste bitter and unpleasant.

When the sauce turns the right color slowly whisk in the cream. If the caramel hardens with the addition of the cream, do not worry. Just continue to add the cream and bring the mixture back to a a boil over medium heat. Continue to stir until the sugar has remelted. Allow to boil for 5 minutes then remove from heat and stir in the butter.

Pour into a heat safe container and chill until ready to use. 


Ready to top the cheesecake
To glaze, gently warm the 1 cup of the caramel sauce on the stove or in the microwave until slightly runny and then pour onto the cheesecake. Smooth the caramel over the cake and you're ready to serve. 

20 comments:

  1. mmmmm that looks SO good!

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  2. This looks delicious!! Thanks for the recipe!

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  3. Oh that looks like my favorite kind of cheesecake. I love camramel. I would love for you to share at the Bacon Time Anything Goes linky that runs every fri-monday.

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  4. mmmmmmm can't wait to try it!

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  5. O-M-G This cake looks sooooooo delicious!
    I love cheesecake with white chocolate, and the caramel sauce is a great addition

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  6. Oh my goodness! Thank you SO much for sharing at Mix it up Monday!

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  7. Oh my gosh, my mouth is totally watering! I am going to have to try this, it has alot of my favorite things! Thanks for sharing!!!

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  8. that really looks amazing! I came over from Making the world cuter! Would love for you to link this up to my Tasty Tuesday Party which opens tonight! http://nap-timecreations.blogspot.com/

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    1. Thanks Emily, I'll check it out!

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  9. That. Looks. Delicious! Caramel sauce?! Get outta town! Yum!

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  10. Seriously? Caramel AND cheesecake??? I am SO there! I'm pinning this to make for tomorrow for my hubby's and my fancy night in for V-day! : 0


    I have a Feature Friday FREE-FOR-ALL linky that's still going on. http://www.fivedaysfiveways.com/2012/02/feature-friday-free-for-all-6-little.html

    I'd love it if you'd link this up, but if you'd rather wait til next Friday, I hope you get a chance to bookmark it because we always have a blast!

    I'd love to have you by for a visit!

    P.S. I'm a new follower. : )

    ~Abbie

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    1. Thanks Abbie! I'll definitely check your list out for this Friday (I try to make the rounds on the days that they're launched. Sometimes I'm better at it than others ;) ) Glad you like the recipe and let me know how yours turns out!

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  11. Very decadent! Consider sharing with my readers at http://sassafrassalvation.blogspot.com/2012/02/sasss-sunday-salvation-show-11.html !

    Happy Valentine's Day,

    Kathy

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  12. Anonymous9:26 AM

    Oh boy! You just stole my heart. I LOVE cheesecake! This looks just divine. I am visiting from Flour Me With Love. So glad to find your blog. I would like to invite you to our Fabulous Friday link party. Starts on Friday, ends on Thursday night. Hope to see you there.

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  13. YUM YUM YUM! Thanks for sharing ;)

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  14. This is the most fabulous, decadent dessert I've seen in ages! I love it!

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  15. This looks wonderful!! Making cheese cake intimidates me but this looks too good to pass up. I would love it if you would be willing to share with us at our party going on now-Monday. Thanks

    http://kadie-sevenalive.blogspot.com/2012/02/link-it-up-thursday-7.html

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  16. Oh Yum! That looks so delicious! I must try this! :)

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  17. This looks and sounds scrumptious. Thank you for sharing.

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