Blue Owl Restaurant and Bakery Turtle Pecan Cheesecake

:('s Note:

The Blue Owl is a very cute, tea room type of establishment, in Kimmswick Missouri. Kimmswick is a very small and special little town that has lots of shops filled with antiques and gifts. I am sure you know the type. The also have one of the older St. Louis riverboats there, the Huck Finn, I believe. Not at the restaurant! But down the street at the Mississippi river bank. I often visit Kimmswick when I go back to see my parents, who live not too far from there. The Blue Owl serves foods besides desserts, but it is the desserts they wow everyone with for both size and taste and the reason the Blue Owl is slightly "famous".

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 12

For the Crust

• 4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 12 tablespoons melted butter

For the Filling

• 1 (14 ounce) bag vanilla caramels
• 1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (see note)
• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsel, melted

For the Chocolate Topping

• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsel
• 3 tablespoons evaporated milk (see note)

For the garnishes

• whipped cream (for garnish) (optional)
• pecan halves, dipped in caramel (for garnish) (optional)

Directions:

1. For crust: Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter; press mixture on the bottom and sides of a buttered 10-inch springform pan (2 inches deep). Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven 10 to 15 minutes, then set aside to cool.
2. For filling: In heavy saucepan, melt the caramels with evaporated milk over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. (If desired, dip a few pecans into caramel mixture and set aside to use later as a garnish.) Pour caramel mixture over cooled crust; top with toasted pecans.
3. Combine cream cheese and sugar, mixing on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla. Blend in melted chocolate. Pour mixture over pecans and caramel in crust, starting at outer edge.
4. Bake in a 350 degree F oven 1 hour and 20 to 25 minutes, or until edges begin to crack. Remove from oven and let cool at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan and loosen cheesecake with spatula.
5. For chocolate topping: Melt chocolate morsels on medium heat in microwave. Add evaporated milk (or 2 percent milk and butter; see note). Stir until mixture is smooth.
6. Spread chocolate topping over chilled cheesecake. Garnish with dollops of whipped cream and pecan halves dipped in caramel, if desired.
7. Keep refrigerated.
8. NOTE: If you don't want to open another can for the 3 tablespoons evaporated milk, you can substitute 3 tablespoons 2 percent milk and 2 teaspoons butter.
9. To toast pecans: Put 1 tablespoon butter or margarine in a 9-inch pie plate. Microwave until melted. Stir in 1 cup pecans, tossing to coat. Microwave on HIGH 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

Reviews

[lolablitz]

This was great! I didn't think it was easy, but I'm a novice dessert maker :) I had a hard time finding caramels, which was weird. I went to two different stores and finally settled on a 10oz bag of Werthers soft caramels. They were good, but what happened to Brachs? The only tricky part for me was melting the chocolate chips, they got kind of chalky and then made the texture of the cheesecake a little less smooth. I think next time I would omit them in the cheesecake part and just have the chocolate ganache on top. Thanks for a delightful birthday recipe for my DH!

[Little Miss Cheffie]

I made this for my boss' birthday party and the people at work went ga ga over this! Rich and delicious with all of my favorite ingredients. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try this one and it is now in my special file folder for safe keeping. Amazing cheesecake Sue!

[SrtaMaestra]

Saw the photo of this on the please review my recipe tag game, and just had to check it out. I love the detailed background info that goes along with this recipe--makes me want to check out the Blue Owl myself, and I'm in Wisconsin! It just sounds like a neat place. I will definitely try this for the holidays! I love the fact that this is a turtle cheesecake with graham crackers and not chocolate wafer cookie crumbs for the crust.