Praline Cheesecake With Hazelnut Crust Recipes

HAZELNUT PRALINE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Mix flour, butter and brown sugar in processor until moist clumps form. Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake until crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Cool. Wrap outside of pan with double layer of heavy-duty foil.
• For filling:
• Reserve 1/2 cup praline for garnish. Grind remaining praline to powder in processor. Beat cream cheese and su gar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in flour, then cream and vanilla. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Fold in praline powder.
• Transfer filling to crust. Place springform pan in roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until center is just set, about 1 hour 20 minutes.
• Transfer cake to rack. Run small sharp knife around sides of cake to loosen. Cool completely. Remove foil from pan sides. Chill cake overnight. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Release pan sides. Transfer cake to platter. Mound reserved coarsely crushed praline atop center of cake and serve.

LEMON CHEESECAKE WITH HAZELNUT CRUST

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Finely grind nuts, cracker crumbs and powdered sugar in processor.Add butter; blend using on/off turns until crumbs are moist. Press crumbs onto bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Chill while making filling.
• Make filling:
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Slowly add sugar; beat until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating 30 seconds after each. Mix in lemon juice and peel.
• Pour filling into crust. Bake cake until outer 2-inch portion of top is set and center looks slightly glossy and is barely set, about 45 minutes. Transfer to rack cool to room temperature. Cover; chill overnight.
• Run knife around sides of pan to loosen. Release pan sides. Place cake on plate. Top with lemon and mint, if desired.

PRALINE-CRUSTED CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Cheesecake: Combine cookie crumbs and butter.
• Press into bottom and up sides of a greased 10-inch springform pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees for approx 8 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Sprinkle coarsely crumbled pralines over crust.
• Beat cream cheese at medium speed with a heavy duty electric mixer until creamy.
• Gradually add 1 3/4 cups sugar, flour, and vanilla, beating until smooth.
• Add eggs and egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.
• Stir in whipping cream and lemon rind.
• Pour in crust.
• Place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees on lower oven rack 10 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees, and bake 1 hour and 20 minutes or until almost set.
• Cool on wire rack 1 hour.
• Stir together sour cream and 1/3 cup sugar; spread over cheesecake.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes.
• Cool on wire rack.
• Cover and chill 8 hours.
• Remove sides of pan.
• Garnish, if desired with pralines.
• Pralines: Butter bottom of a heavy 3-quart saucepan.
• Cook brown sugar and next 3 ingredients in saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugars dissolve; stir in pecans.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 238 degrees (soft ball stage).
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in vanilla; let stand 3 minutes.
• Beat with a wooden spoon 3 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken.
• Working rapidly, drop by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper.
• Let stand until firm.

PRALINE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Crush 50 wafers finely; mix with 1/4 cup sugar and margarine. Press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Stand remaining wafers around edge of pan, pressing gently into crust to secure.
• Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
• Bake 45 to 50 min. or until center is almost set. Run small knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hours.
• Microwave caramels and milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until caramels are completely melted, stirring every 30 sec. Cool slightly. Pour over cheesecake; top with nuts.

CARAMEL PRALINE-TOPPED CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Mix crushed wafers and sugar; stir in melted butter. Press onto bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Arrange vanilla wafers around sides of pan, rounded sides out, pressing gently into crust., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Pour over crust. Place pan on a baking sheet., Bake until center is almost set, 55-60 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 1 hour. Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled., Remove rim from pan. In a microwave, melt caramels with milk; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cheesecake; sprinkle with pecans. Freeze option: Wrap individual portions of cheesecake in plastic wrap and place in a resealable plastic freezer bag. Seal bag and freeze. To use, thaw in the refrigerator.

CARAMEL-HAZELNUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Wrap foil tightly around outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Blend hazelnuts and sugar in food processor until nuts are finely ground. Add melted butter; blend until moist clumps form. Press nut mixture onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan.
• For filling:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Pour filling over crust. Bake until cheesecake puffs and is set around sides but center still moves slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 50 minutes. Transfer cheesecake to rack. Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Cool cake completely. Remove foil from pan. Cover with plastic and chill overnight.
• For caramel sauce:
• Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Boil sauce until reduced to 2 cups, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool. Spoon 1/2 cup caramel sauce evenly over top of cheesecake, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Arrange additional hazelnuts decoratively around outside edge of cake. Cover and refrigerate cheesecake until topping sets, about 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep cheesecake refrigerated. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce.) Release pan sides from cheesecake. Transfer cake to platter. Rewarm remaining sauce just until pourable but not warm. Slice cheesecake. Serve, passing sauce separately.

HAZELNUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 300°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix wafer crumbs, 1/4 cup of the hazelnuts and the butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
• Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Add sour cream and liqueur; mix well. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup hazelnuts. Pour over crust.
• Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 5 minutes or until center is almost set. Run small knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

HAZELNUT PRALINE

Steps:

• Lightly oil a baking sheet.
• In a dry heavy saucepan cook sugar over moderate heat, stirring with a fork, until melted and cook, without stirring, swirling pan, just until a golden caramel. Add hazelnuts, stirring until coated well. Immediately pour mixture onto baking sheet and cool completely, about 30 minutes. Remove praline from baking sheet and break into pieces.
• Praline may be eaten as candy or ground in a food processor and used as a dessert topping.