Marks Chocolate Cream Cheese Cake With Pecans Food

MINI CHOCOLATE-PECAN-CARAMEL CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 24-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add the butter and sugar, then pulse until well combined. Distribute the crumbs among the prepared cups, about 2 tablespoons in each, and press to firm them up.
• For the filling: Beat the cream cheese in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth. Mix in the sugar and eggs. Add the vanilla and 3 tablespoons of the salted caramel and mix again. Distribute the batter among the muffin cups, about 3 tablespoons per cup. Tap the tin on the counter to distribute the batter evenly.
• Bake, watching to make sure they don't burn, until set in the middle, 15 to 17 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, then chill for 2 hours.
• For the ganache: Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl and set aside. Heat the cream in a saucepan until warm and bubbles begin to form around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour over the chocolate and allow to sit for 2 minutes. Mix until smooth, then set aside to cool slightly.
• Place about 1 tablespoon ganache on top of each cheesecake. Sprinkle the top with the pecan pieces and mini chocolate chips. Drizzle with the remaining 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon caramel and freeze, uncovered, for 1 hour. Transfer to an airtight freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Allow to thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL PECAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Mix crumbs and margarine; press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 min.
• Microwave caramels and milk in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 4 min. or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after 2 min. Pour over crust; sprinkle with nuts.
• Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add chocolate and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended; pour over nuts. Place springform pan on baking sheet.
• Bake 45 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours. Serve topped with COOL WHIP.

CHOCOLATE PECAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine caramels and evaporated milk. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until smooth; stir in 1/2 cup pecans. Pour into crust. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. In a small bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes; beat into cream cheese mixture until blended. Spread over caramel mixture. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Before serving, drizzle with hot fudge topping and sprinkle with remaining pecans.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Mix well and press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Pour on melted caramel/pecan mixture and chill for 30 minutes.
• To make the Caramel Filling: In a small saucepan, combine caramels and milk. Cook over low heat, stirring, until smooth. Stir in chopped pecans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In the top of a double boiler, heat chocolate, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Fold 1/3 of the filling into the melted chocolate, then pour the chocolate mixture back into the filling and mix until no streaks remain. Pour into crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until center is almost set. Place a pan of water on rack underneath cheesecake as it bakes to help keep it from cracking. Cool in oven with door cracked open. Refrigerate at least 5 hours before serving.

PECAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and melted butter or margarine. Press firmly into the bottom of a 10 inch springform pan.
• In a large bowl, blend the cream cheese and 1 1/4 cup white sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, blending well. Add vanilla extract. Add 1/2 cup liqueur, and blend for 5 minutes. Pour the filling on top of the crust
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for approximately 1 hour. The cake should be golden brown, and will have risen to the top of the pan. Turn off the heat, and let cool in the oven for 2 1/2 hours. When cool, remove the rim of the springform pan.
• In a small bowl, mix the sour cream, confectioners' sugar, and 1 teaspoon liqueur together. Spoon onto the top of the cooled cheesecake.
• In a small bowl, combine the finely ground pecans, finely ground graham cracker crumbs, 1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle the pecan topping on the cheesecake. Carefully press the pecan topping into the sides of the cheesecake. Garnish the top and sides with pecan halves.

PECAN CREAM CHEESE SQUARES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the cake mix, 1 egg and butter until blended. Stir in pecans. Press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan; set aside. , In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and remaining eggs until smooth. Pour over pecan mixture. , Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack; cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator.

PRALINES 'N CREAM CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Crust: Combine crust ingredients and mix well.
• Press firmly onto bottom and 1-inch up sides of an 8 1/2" springform pan.
• Cheesecake: For praline mixture,combine pecans, brown sugar and melted butter, mixing well.
• Set aside.
• (I pop it into the fridge to firm it up enough to crumble easily) Beat cream cheese until smooth; blend in sugar.
• Sprinkle gelatine on top of cold water in a saucepan.
• Let stand 5 minutes to soften.
• Stir mixture over low heat until gelatine is dissolved.
• Blend warm gelatine into cheese mixture.
• Gradually fold cheese mixture into whipped cream.
• fold chocolate into 2 cups of cheese mixture.
• Spread all but 1/2 cup of plain cheese mixture into crust.
• Sprinkle praline mixture evenly over plain cheese mixture.
• Spread chocolate mixture evenly over praline layer.
• Spoon remaining plain cream cheese mixture over chocolate mixture and swirl wit a knife to marble.
• Garnish with pecan halves if desired.
• Chill at least 3 hours before serving.

MARKS' CHOCOLATE-CREAM CHEESE CAKE WITH PECANS

Steps:

• Place butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla essence in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Sift together flour, baking powder and cocoa powder.
• Fold flour mixture and buttermilk, alternately, into butter mixture. Divide mixture between 3 greased and lined 23 cm round cake tins and bake for 25 minutes or until baked in oven temperature 160 °C. Leave cakes to cool.
• For filling first make pecans. Spread pecans on large lined tin. Mix icing sugar with a little water until you get icing-like texture. Spread it over pecans and make sure that they are well covered. Bake them in oven temperature 200 °C until the sugar melts and turns brown. Leave to cool. Save some pecans for decoration and chop the others.
• For cream cheese filling mix cream cheese with vanilla until smooth. Add instant gelatine and mix with electric mixer for at least 1 minute. Add icing sugar and carefully fold in whipped cream.
• To assemble cake, place one cake on a serving plate, spread with half of cream cheese filling, sprinkle with half pecans. Top with a second cake and remaining cream and nuts. Finish with a layer of cake.
• To make icing, place butter in a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in egg, egg yolks and icing sugar. Add chocolate and beat until icing is thick and creamy. Cover top and sides of cake with icing and decorate with saved pecans.

APRICOT-PECAN CREAM CHEESE CAKE

Steps:

• Combine apricots, juice and 1/4 c sugar in saucepan. Heat to a boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until apricots have softened.
• Drain apricots well and reserve liquid.
• Mix together flour, baking powder, and pecans.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese, butter, vanilla and sugar.
• Stir in apricots.
• Beat in eggs, 1 at a time.
• Fold in flour mixture, 1/3 at a time.
• Pour batter into greased and floured Bundt pan.
• Bake at 325 for 65-70 minutes, or until tests done.
• Remove from oven and slowly pour reserved liquid over hot cake.
• Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack.
• Make glaze by mixing juice and powdered sugar to desired consistency. Slowly pour over warm cake.
• Let cake cool completely, then wrap tightly and refrigerate overnight.

CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour the bottom only of a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, pudding mix, water, vegetable oil, vanilla, and eggs.
• Mix on low for about 30 seconds, and then on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
• Pour cake batter into prepared pan.
• In another large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and egg with hand mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
• Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Spoon the cream cheese filling by tablespoonfuls over the batter.
• Using a table knife, swirl the cream cheese batter back and forth, then turn the pan and swirl it in the opposite direction. When swirling the cream cheese batter, be sure it goes down into the cake batter, not just on the surface.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Cool completely before frosting.
• In a medium sized bowl, beat together the butter, cocoa, milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar until until creamy and well blended.
• Frost the cooled cake.

CHOCOLATE-PECAN PIE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325ºF.
• Use pulsing action to blend 2 cups nuts in blender until finely ground; mix with 1 Tbsp. flour, 1/4 cup sugar and half the butter. Press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 min.
• Beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the remaining sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour cream cheese mixture over crust. Bake 25 min.
• Meanwhile, toss chocolate and remaining nuts with remaining flour in large bowl until evenly coated. Beat corn syrup and remaining sugar, butter and eggs in medium bowl with whisk until blended. Add to nut mixture; mix well.
• Spoon nut mixture gently over cheesecake. Bake 35 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hours.