Mascarpone Cheesecake W. Candied Pecans And Dulce De Leche Sauce

Total Time: 3 hrs Preparation Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 14
• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup pecans (about 1 1/2 ounces)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla essence
• 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 (8 ounce) containers mascarpone cheese
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 3/4 cup pecan halves
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Recipe

• 1 for crust:.
• 2 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 3 finely grine pecans in processor.
• 4 mix butter, flour, ground pecans, sugar and vanilla essence.
• 5 press into greased 9" springform pan.
• 6 for filling:.
• 7 using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth.
• 8 add mascarpone and flour; beat until smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula.
• 9 gradually add sugar and beat until smooth. beat in vanilla and lemon juice.
• 10 add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
• 11 pour filling over crust in the springform pan.
• 12 place springform pan in large roasting pan. pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan.
• 13 bake cheesecake until top is golden and cake is almost set (center 2 inches will still move slightly when pan is gently shaken), about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• 14 meanwhile --
• 15 for candied pecans:.
• 16 line baking sheet with foil; spray with nonstick spray.
• 17 combine sugar, and water in heavy small saucepan.
• 18 stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves.
• 19 increase heat; boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with pastry brush dipped in water and swirling pan, about 7 minutes.
• 20 remove from heat.
• 21 immediately stir in pecans. quickly pour mixture out onto prepared baking sheet. working quickly and using 2 forks, separate pecans into individual halves. cool completely.
• 22 break candied pecans apart, leaving each pecan half intact with some candied caramel attached.
• 23 (can be made 1 week ahead. store airtight at room temperature. makes about 1 cup.).
• 24 (can toast pecans at 350°f for 5-7 minutes first before stirring them into caramel).
• 25 for dulce de leche sauce:.
• 26 combine whipping cream and brown sugar in heavy medium saucepan.
• 27 stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
• 28 boil until mixture is reduced to 1 cup, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• 29 stir in sweetened condensed milk.
• 30 (can be made 1 day ahead. cover and chill. rewarm over medium-low heat just until warm and pourable. makes about 1 1/3 cups.).
• 31 cool cake on rack 1 hour.
• 32 refrigerate uncovered overnight.
• 33 (can be made 2 days ahead. cover and keep refrigerated.).
• 34 arrange candied pecans decoratively atop cake. cut cake into wedges. serve with dulce de leche sauce.
• 35 *italian cream cheese, available at italian markets and many supermarkets.