Caramel Pretzel Cheesecake Food

SALTED CARAMEL PRETZEL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Stir together graham cracker crumbs, crushed pretzels, sugar, salt, and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 9 or 10 inch pie plate.
• Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
• In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and half and half. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Lower heat to medium and cook for 7-8 minutes until mixture thickens. Stir in salt one minute before finished cooking. Make sure to whisk occasionally to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
• While caramel is cooling, prepare cheesecake. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add in eggs and vanilla extract and beat until mixture is smooth.
• Spread all but 1/4 cup of caramel over the top of cooled crust. Spread cream cheese mixture over top. Even top with a spatula.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until center is set. Transfer to wire rack and bring to room temperature. Move cheesecake to refrigerator and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
• Drizzle with remaining caramel right before serving.

SALTED CARAMEL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Tightly wrap a 9 inch springform pan in heavy duty foil. This step prevents leaks when using a water bath. I also take the extra step by placing the foil wrapped spring form pan inside an oven bag while baking, but this is optional.
• Mix together the crust ingredients and press into the bottom of your pan. Bake for 8 minutes and cool completely on a wire rack.
• Begin to boil a pot or kettle of water for the water bath.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with your paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and mix until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream and vanilla and mix until smooth.
• Pour batter into prepared crust. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan.
• Bake 55-60 minutes, the edges will appear to be set, but the center will still have some jiggle to it. At this point, turn off the oven, but leave the door cracked and allow the cheesecake to rest in the cooling oven for one hour.
• After one hour has passed, carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once the cake is completely cooled, place it into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
• Serve with salted caramel sauce.

SALTED CARAMEL-PRETZEL CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Salted Caramel Sauce:
• Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-low heat; continue to cook, without stirring, until the sugar has dissolved (about 4 min.).
• Increase the heat to medium-high, then cook until the caramel has turned to a deep golden color (about 6 to 7 min.).
• Remove from heat. Add the heavy cream and whisk to incorporate, being careful as the heavy cream will bubble heavily.
• Return the saucepan to the heat. Add the butter and salt; stir. Cook for another minute.
• Turn off the heat and let the caramel sauce cool down before using. (The caramel will get thicker after it cools down but it won't harden at room temperature.)
• Pretzel Crust:
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Line a 2-inch-deep 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl, combine the pretzel crumbs, sugar and butter.
• Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake for 12 min. or until golden brown.
• Cheesecake:
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
• In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
• Add the eggs, one at time, and mix until just blended.
• Stir in the vanilla and flour just until combined.
• Pour the cream cheese batter over the crust. Add ½ cup of the salted caramel sauce and swirl it into the cream cheese batter. Bake for 30 min. or until the center of cheesecake is set.
• Let the cheesecake cool completely at room temperature.
• Pour the remaining 1 cup salted caramel sauce over the cooled cheesecake, then refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours).
• Before serving, decorate with whole pretzels and salted caramel popcorn.

SALTED CARAMEL PRETZEL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• 1. For the Crust: Preheat the oven to 325º and place a rack in the middle. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan. Mix together the caramel pretzel rods, butter and sugar in a bowl until combined.
• 2. For the Cheesecake: Mix the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until light and smooth. Add the yolk first and then the whole eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla extract and blend. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Turn the oven off and leave the door slightly open to allow the cheesecake to cool completely.
• 3. For the Caramel: While the cheesecake is baking, stir together the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil and let it boil until it turns amber in color, about 4 minutes. Immediately stir in the butter. Remove from heat and add the cream. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• 4. Pour the cooled caramel over the cooled cheesecake and sprinkle with sea salt.
• 5. To Make Caramel Pretzel Rods: 8 large pretzel rods 5.5 ounces soft caramels 2 tsp cream Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and set aside for now. Line a small loaf pan with foil and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Place the unwrapped caramels and the cream in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 45 seconds, then stir. If the caramels are not melted, microwave for an additional 30 seconds, or until they melt when you stir them. Stir until the caramels and cream are completely smooth. Pour the melted caramel into the loaf pan and refrigerate until it sets, about 20-30 minutes. After the caramel sets, remove it from the pan using the foil as handles, and cut it into 8 equal pieces. Pick up one of the caramel pieces and roll it into a rope about 6 inches long. Press the top of the caramel rope into the top of a pretzel rod, and twirl it around the rod so that it winds about ¾ of the way down. Place the caramel-wrapped pretzel on the prepared baking sheet, and repeat with remaining caramel and pretzels. Refrigerate the wrapped pretzels.

CLINTON KELLY'S CHOCOLATE-COVERED CARAMEL PRETZEL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For the Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the inside of a 9 inch spring form pan with butter. Lay two large pieces of aluminum foil crosswise on your work surface. Place the cake pan in the middle and crimp the aluminum around the pan.
• Stir the crust ingredients together in a medium bowl. Once fully incorporated press into the bottom and sides of the prepared spring form pan, creating an even layer.
• For the Chocolate Layer: Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave. Pour over the prepared pretzel crust. Transfer the spring form pan to the refrigerate for 5 minutes or until chocolate has set.
• For the Filling: Whip together the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add the sour cream, eggs, egg yolk, vanilla and salt and stir together until incorporated. Do not over mix to avoid excess air from being incorporated into the mixture which can cause your cheesecake to crack when baking. Pour the filling over the prepared crust and chocolate layer.
• Transfer the cake to a roasting pan and carefully fill the roasting pan with warm water until it comes 1/3 of the way up the sides of the spring form pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until the center only jiggles slightly. Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
• For the Caramel Sauce: Mix the sugar and water in a small sauce pot just to wet the sugar. Place over medium-high heat and cook until the mixture turns a light golden brown or a candy thermometer reads 212 degrees F.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, heavy cream, and salt. Be careful the mixture may bubbly rapidly. Stir the mixture until fully incorporated. Allow to cool for 3 minutes before pouring over the cheesecake. Place the entire cheesecake into the refrigerator and allow to cool completely, at least 2 hours or until ready to serve. Use a warm knife to cut through the cake.