Caramel Cheesecake in a Pecan Crust

For the RSC Cooking Contest. When I saw the list of ingredients and focused on dessert it became pretty obvious to me that I'd be making a cheesecake. This one's delicious! I watched the amount of sugar I added and the caramels contributed the rest. I decided to use just pecans in the crust - no cookies, and I'm really pleased with the result. Creamy, not too dense, with a pleasant nutty crunch. I think you're all going to enjoy this.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 12-14

Ingredients

• Crust

• 2  tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 1⁄2 cups pecans, ground semi-coarse, to make a crumb crust
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 3  tablespoons flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt

• Filling

• 10  ounces ricotta cheese
• 10  ounces cream cheese
• 1⁄3 cup  whipping cream
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 3  tablespoons flour
• 3  eggs
• 25  caramel candies, cut into quarters (milk toffee)
•  caramel sauce (optional)
•  whipped cream (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. To make crust: Combine all crust ingredients in a small bowl and toss to distribute butter.
3. Press on bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan, line outside of pan with foil and bake for 12 minutes.
4. Remove but maintain oven temperature.
5. For filling: Beat ricotta, whipping cream and cream cheese in mixer until well combined.
6. Beat in vanilla extract, sugar and flour.
7. At lowest setting, beat in eggs, one at a time.
8. Stir in caramel candies and pour into springform pan.
9. Bake for 45 minutes.
10. Turn off oven and leave in for 1 more hour.
11. Refrigerate overnight before serving.
12. If you want it to be even more decadent, serve with Caramel Sauce and Whipped Cream.