Turtle Cheesecake with Toasted Pecans, Caramel & Chocolate

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A tall, dense New York-style cheesecake on a chocolate-pecan cookie crust, baked low and slow in a water bath so it stays crack-free and silky. The turtle part goes on last: pecans toasted until they smell like butterscotch, then caramel and dark chocolate drizzled over a fully chilled cake so the topping sets in sharp ribbons instead of sliding off the sides. Store-bought caramel sauce is completely fine here — thickening it with a splash of cream and a pinch of salt is the only upgrade it needs.

Ingredients

• 7 oz chocolate wafer cookies or Oreos with filling scraped off (about 30 wafers)
• 1/2 cup pecan halves
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

• 32 oz full-fat cream cheese, room temperature (4 blocks)
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
• 2/3 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon juice

• 1 1/4 cups pecan halves
• 1 tsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp flaky sea salt, plus more for finishing
• 1 cup store-bought thick caramel sauce
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 3 oz bittersweet chocolate (60-70%), chopped
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, for the ganache

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread all the pecans for both the crust and the topping (1 3/4 cups total) on a rimmed baking sheet and toast 8-10 minutes, stirring once, until they darken a shade and smell nutty. Cool completely. Toss the 1 1/4 cups of topping pecans with 1 tsp melted butter and 1/4 tsp flaky salt and set aside; reserve 1/2 cup for the crust.
2. Wrap the outside bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan in a double layer of heavy-duty foil. Butter the inside and line the bottom with a parchment round.
3. In a food processor, pulse the chocolate wafers, the 1/2 cup toasted pecans, 2 tbsp sugar and 1/4 tsp kosher salt to fine crumbs. Drizzle in the 6 tbsp melted butter and pulse until the mixture clumps when squeezed. Press firmly into the pan bottom and about 1 inch up the sides using a flat-bottomed glass. Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes, then cool on a rack while you make the filling. Reduce the oven to 325°F.
4. Bring a kettle or pot of water to a boil for the water bath. In a stand mixer with the paddle (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the cream cheese on medium-low for 2-3 minutes until completely smooth, scraping the bowl and paddle twice. Lumps now will be lumps forever.
5. Whisk the 1 1/3 cups sugar with the cornstarch and 1/2 tsp salt, then add to the cream cheese and beat on low 2 minutes until glossy. Add the eggs and the yolk one at a time on the lowest speed, mixing just until each disappears. Mix in the sour cream, 1/3 cup heavy cream, vanilla and lemon juice. Stop the moment it is uniform — you want no air whipped in.
6. Pour the batter over the crust and smooth the top. Tap the pan gently on the counter a few times to release bubbles. Set the foil-wrapped pan in a large roasting pan and pour boiling water into the roasting pan to come 1 inch up the sides.
7. Bake at 325°F for 75-90 minutes, until the outer 2 inches are set and the center 3 inches still jiggle as one soft unit when nudged; an instant-read thermometer 1 inch from the center should read 150°F. Turn the oven off, prop the door open with a wooden spoon, and let the cheesecake sit in the cooling oven for 1 hour.
8. Lift the pan out of the water bath, remove the foil, and cool on a rack to room temperature, about 2 hours. Cover loosely and refrigerate at least 8 hours, ideally overnight. Do not top a warm cheesecake — the caramel will run straight off.
9. When the cake is cold and firm, run a thin knife dipped in hot water around the edge and release the springform ring. Transfer to a serving plate.
10. Warm the caramel sauce with 2 tbsp heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat just until pourable and slightly loose, about 2 minutes; it should coat a spoon thickly, not run like syrup. Let it cool 5 minutes, then spoon about two-thirds over the chilled cheesecake, spreading to within 1/2 inch of the edge. Scatter the buttered, salted pecans over the caramel and press them in lightly.
11. Make the ganache: heat the 1/4 cup heavy cream until steaming, pour over the chopped chocolate, wait 2 minutes, then stir smooth. Let it cool 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
12. Drizzle the chocolate over the pecans in thin lines from a spoon or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off, then drizzle the remaining caramel the same way. Finish with a few flakes of sea salt. Refrigerate 30 minutes to set the topping.
13. Slice with a long thin knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between every cut. Serve cold or let slices sit out 15 minutes for a creamier texture.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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