I should have given this a bit more thought!

I do not have air conditioning and we are in the middle of an incredible heatwave here in the midwest.

The heat index was 106 degrees! yesterday.

We were celebrating a birthday and this cheesecake with strawberries and whipped cream is a favorite.

It did look great when I placed it on the table but by the time I picked up the camera it was sliding all over the place!

That was about 15 seconds!

One of the secrets to the greatness of this cheesecake is the crust.

The butter toasted pecans make the crust amazing and every time I make this the only request is that next time I make more crust!

Ingredients:

Crust

1 stick of butter

3/4 cup of pecans

1 1/2 cups graham crackers

Filling

3 8 oz. pkgs cream cheese
1 cup superfine granulated sugar
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
Whipped cream prepared or homemade; we used Redi-Whip, it’s a nostalgia thing!

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Saute butter and pecans until they become aromatic and lightly toasted

Place graham crackers, sauteed pecans and butter in the food processor and mix until the texture is fine

Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan and bake for 10 minutes

Set aside; reset oven to 325 degrees

With an electric mixer beat cream cheese, sugar and flour together until well mixed

Add vanilla and beat until smooth

Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition

Beat until smooth

Add milk and mix until well blended

Pour the batter over the crust and bake in preheated 325 degree oven for 45-55 minutes

Fell free to garnish with your favorite fresh fruit after the cheesecake has chilled in the fridge overnight

Don’t be shy with the whipped cream!

Put love in it and Enjoy!

Every year around Thanksgiving as friends are making dinner plans, the first question I get is, “are you making your Dulce de Leche Cheesecake?” Everyone knows that I am cooking dinner and that I will be making 5 or 6 desserts, which vary, but there are always hopes that this cheesecake will be in the line-up.

I always say, “of course”, actually this year I will make 2. And then I proceed to dig out my collection of recipes, line up my help; daughters, and begin to make lists.

I had a difficult time finding this recipe and the web was of little help. I needed the exact perfect mouthwatering recipe that has secured my place in the hearts and bellies of my friends and family.

After much searching I found this dog eared paper; water stained and coated in crusty something or other and copied it and committed it to a dessert file and on a portable disk.

It is amazing.

Now some may find fault with the Dulce de Leche part of this cheesecake. They may say it is not authentic or truly dulce de leche, however, I stand by the recipe and the method and contend that if a recipe translates into something this good then it must be right.

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs and macadamia nuts
3 tbsp. butter, melted

Filling:

3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese (24 oz. total)
1 cup superfine granulated sugar
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. vanilla extract (Neilsen-Massey)
3 eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
1/2 cup ready-made or homemade Dulce de leche sauce* (see recipe below for Homemade Dulce de leche)

For Serving:
Extra Dulce de leche sauce

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

2.In food processor mix crust ingredients together, and press into the bottom of a lightly buttered 9-inch springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

3. Reset oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).

4. With an electric mixer beat cream cheese, sugar and flour together until well mixed and smooth. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until smooth. Add milk and mix until well blended.

5. Measure 1/2 cup of the cheesecake batter and pour into a small bowl. Add Dulce de Leche sauce and stir until well combined.

6. Pour plain batter over crust. Top with Dulce de leche batter by placing rounded spoonfuls over the cheesecake batter and gently swirl into plain batter with the tip of knife or spatula.

7. Bake in preheated 325°F (160°C) oven for 45-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from oven and gently run metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cheesecake (this helps prevent cracking). Let cool 20-25 minutes before covering and placing in the refrigerator. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours or overnight before serving. If desired, serve each slice drizzled with a little bit of dulce de leche sauce, or pass around a bowl of dulce de leche sauce for guest’s to help themselves.

Dulce de Leche

1 can of sweetened condensed milk
Make two holes in the top of the can
Place in a pot of water standing up and not allowing the water to get into the open can.
Simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours
Keep filling the water to maintain a level just less than half an inch from the top of the can.