Salted Caramel Pretzel Cheesecake Bars 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-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.