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Pecan Turtle Brownie Cheesecake
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Pecan Turtle Brownie Cheesecake

Pecan Turtle Brownie Cheesecake has pecan turtle brownie crust topped with caramel cheesecake swirled with melted caramel and ganache, then a pecan, caramel, ganache layer on top—just like a turtle.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Keyword: brownie, caramel, cheesecake, chocolate, pecans
Servings: 9 inch cheesecake
Author: Kim Melanson

Equipment

  • 9" Springform Pan

Ingredients

  • (recipe based on Americas Test Kitchen Ultimate Turtle Brownies)

Caramel (make day ahead):

  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup light corn syrup
  • 2 ½ cups sugar
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Pecan Brownie Crust:

  • 8 Tablespoons (113g-1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
  • 4 ounces 60% quality chocolate chopped
  • 2 ounces 90% quality chocolate chopped
  • ¾ cup (78g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • ⅔ cup chopped pecans
  • ⅓ cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup caramel (recipe above)

Ganache:

  • ½ cup quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup heavy cream

Caramel and Ganache Swirled Cheesecake:

  • 3 packages (24 oz—680g) cream cheese room temperature
  • ½ cup (105g) brown sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons (22.5g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ cup caramel sauce recipe above
  • 3 eggs room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ cup caramel sauce (recipe above)
  • ¼ cup ganache (recipe above)

Topping:

  • Halved pecans
  • ¼ cup caramel sauce (recipe above)
  • Ganache (recipe above)
  • Whipped Cream
  • Mini chocolate chips
  • Toffee bits
  • Maldon flake salt

Instructions

Caramel (make day ahead):

  • Calibrate your current boiling temperature with your recipe. Boil water and adjust recipe cooking temperature accordingly.
  • Combine cream and salt in small bowl; stir well to dissolve salt.
  • Combine water and corn syrup in heavy-bottomed 2- to 3- quart saucepan; pour sugar into center of saucepan, taking care not to let sugar granules touch sides of pan. Gently stir with clean spatula to moisten sugar thoroughly. Cover and bring to boil over medium-high heat; cook, covered and without stirring, until sugar is completely dissolved and liquid is clear, 5-10 minutes.
  • Uncover, add thermometer and continue to cook, without stirring, until bubbles show faint golden color, 1-3 minutes more.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low. Continue to cook until caramel is light amber and registers 358° F on candy thermometer.
  • Remove saucepan from heat. Put on hot pad glove to stirring hand. Slowly/carefully add cream to center of pan; stir with metal whisk or silicon spatula (mixture will bubble and steam vigorously) until cream is fully incorporated and bubbling subsides.
  • Stir in butter and vanilla until combined; transfer caramel to microwaveable measuring cup or bowl and set aside to cool completely.
  • When cool, cover and refrigerate until ready to make cheesecake. Remove caramel from refrigerator prior to use and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Microwave for 15 seconds more to become pliable again. Leave at room temperature until finished with cheesecake.

Pecan Brownie Crust:

  • Heat oven to 325° F (163° C). Lightly spray springform pan with non-stick spray, place parchment circle and spray again.
  • In small sized microwave save bowl, melt butter and both chocolates in microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Heat for another 15 seconds if needed to melt the butter or chocolate. Stir until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool slightly.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  • When chocolate has cooled slightly, whisk eggs in a separate large bowl. Add sugar and vanilla. Whisk until incorporated.
  • Whisk melted chocolate mixture into egg mixture. Whisk until completely combined.
  • Add flour mixture and fold in with spatula until almost combined. Add chopped pecans and chocolate chips. Mix until no flour streaks remain.
  • Distribute half of brownie batter in spring form pan, spreading in even layer. Drizzle scant ¼ cup caramel over batter. Drop remaining batter in large mounds over caramel layer. Spread evenly and into corners, keeping caramel in center and not along the edges of the spring form pan. Using tip of butter knife, swirl caramel and batter.
  • Bake brownies until toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 35-40 minutes. Remove brownies to cool slightly.

Caramel Cheesecake:

  • While brownie crust is cooling, add softened cream cheese to a mixing bowl and mix at medium speed on electric mixer (or stand mixer), for 2 minutes until softened and smooth. Add sugar, flour, and salt. Mix on medium-low speed until completed incorporated.
  • Add caramel and vanilla and mix on low speed until no streaks remain.
  • On low speed, blend in eggs, one at a time, scraping bowl between each addition. Mix on low speed just until combined.
  • Pour a third of the cheesecake batter over crust. Drizzle 2 Tablespoons caramel sauce and 2 Tablespoons ganache over the batter. Use a butter knife to slightly swirl the caramel and ganache into the cheesecake batter. Drizzle a second third of the batter into the pan. Drizzle 2 Tablespoons caramel sauce and 2 Tablespoons ganache over the batter. Swirl slightly again. Top with remaining cheesecake batter. Swirl slightly. Smooth top with spatula.
  • Bake at 450° F (232° C) for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250° F (121° C), continue baking for 25-40 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake is firm to a light touch, not jelly-like.
  • Allow to cool at room temperature.
  • When cheesecake is room temperature, spread pecan halves on top of cheesecake in an even single layer. Heat remaining caramel in microwave until warm and pourable, but do not boil, 15-45 seconds, stirring once or twice. Pour caramel over pecans, covering them completely.
  • Heat ganache slightly in microwave for 15 seconds if needed. Stir and pour on top of the caramel pecan layer, creating a thin ganache layer over the entire cheesecake top. Spread until even and smooth. Chill entire cheesecake in refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or more.
  • To serve: Add whipped cream swirls and a sprinkle of mini-chocolate chips, toffee bits and maldon flake salt. Store cheesecake in refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.