Shelly's Recipe

FUDGE TOFFEE CHEESECAKE

Category: Cheesecake

2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk, caramelized* (see below)
3 Skor chocolate bars, crumbled (this is much easier if you freeze the bars first)
3 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese at room temperature (do not use light cream cheese)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Kahlua liqueur
3 eggs, at room temperature
6 (1 oz) squares semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Garnish: (optional)
2 (1 oz) squares semi-sweet chocolate
Chocolate curls

Preheat oven to 350. Generously grease the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the outside of the pan with a double layer of foil to prevent the butter in the crust from leaking out.

Combine the chocolate crumbs and melted butter and press onto the bottom and part way up the sides of the greased pan. Bake for 10 minutes then set aside to cool.

Spread the caramelized sweetened condensed milk over the cooled crust (warm it in the microwave for a few seconds if necessary). Sprinkle the 3 crushed Skor bars evenly over the caramel layer. If you have had to reheat the caramel before spreading, let it cool for a moment before adding the Skor bars.

Beat the softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth, scraping down the bowl several times. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat only till smooth (do not overbeat the batter once you have added the eggs or the cheesecake could crack). Quickly stir in the melted chocolate and Kahlua (can do this by hand). Pour the batter over the caramel layer. It should almost fill the pan.

Bake the cheesecake for approximately 50-55 minutes. It will be set around the edges, but the center will wobble when you gently shake the pan. Turn the oven off and leave the cake in the oven for 1 hour, then completely cool at room temperature before putting it in the fridge. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cake when it first starts to cool so that it does not pull away from the sides of the pan and crack. Refrigerate overnight before removing the sides of the pan.

To garnish, melt 2 squares of semi-sweet chocolate and drizzle over the top and down the sides of the chilled cake. Pile chocolate curls in the center.

*To Carmelize sweetened condensed milk:
To caramelize the sweetened condensed milk, simmer slowly in the top of a double boiler for about an hour, or longer, until it thickens and turns a golden brown. Stir occasionally. Set aside to cool.

Tips: Before preheating the oven set a large pan of water on the bottom rack. This adds moisture while the cheesecake is baking and will help to prevent cracks.

Be careful not to overbake. The filling will wobble when the pan is gently shaken, but will firm up as the cheesecake cools.