Trying new things...

Months before Christmas came, I was working hard on learning how to cook new and exciting dishes. I was scouring cookbooks everywhere I went, but I kept coming to recipes that required 9" springform pans and non-glass loaf pans, and food processors. I've come to realize that cooking is much like my hobby of scrapbooking. There is a gadget for everything, then your go to items that you have to have (a good set of pots, spoons, a grater, knives, etc.), and then there are speciality items...to me it a zester, or a food processor. But even though they are speciality, they still come up in a lot of recipes, and would prove VERY useful. So my Christmas list ended up being alot of baking and cooking items. Loafs pans, cookbooks, springform pans, etc. Lucky for me my family was listening! Or they were looking forward to some good meals...thanks Nick lol! Either way I ended up with until now elusive 9" springform pan. But what to do? I'd never made a cheesecake, and there are a million recipes out there.

After scouring the internet, and many cookbooks, I decided on a hybrid of two cheesecakes. (Now I'm getting tricky since before I'd never do this for fear of gross failure..now I just accept that disaster may follow me into whatever I do, but I can't not do it because of fear) So here is my recipe for Caramel Brownie Cheesecake. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!!

CARAMEL BROWNIE CHEESECAKE

1- 13X9 BROWNIE MIX, MIXED TO DIRECTIONS ON BOX

1-14 OZ PACKAGE OF CARAMELS (KRAFT IS BEST)

1- 5OZ CAN OF EVAPORATED MILK

2- 8OZ PACKAGES OF CREAM CHEESE, SOFTENED

1/2 CUP OF SUGAR

1 TEASPOON OF VANILLA

2 EGGS

1/2 C. FINELY CHOPPED PECANS (OPTIONAL)

1 CUP OF FUDGE TOPPING

Baked Brownie Layer

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350*. 

GREASE BOTTOM OF 9" SPRINGFORM PAN.

IN A SMALL BOWL, MIX TOGETHER BROWNIE MIX ACCORDING TO BOX DIRECTIONS.

SPREAD INTO PAN AND BAKE FOR 20-25 MINUTES (IT CAN BE A LITTLE UNDONE IN THE MIDDLE SINCE IT WILL COOK MORE)

CHILL/COOL THIS LAYER BEFORE PUTTING CARAMEL ON TOP.

MELT CARAMELS AND EVAPORATED MILK OVER LOW HEAT IN A HEAVY SAUCEPAN.

Melting Caramels

STIR OFTEN, AND HEAT UNTIL MIXTURE IS SMOOTH.

POUR 1/3 OF A CUP OF THE CARAMEL MIXTURE IN A DISH TO SAVE FOR LATER.

POUR MIXTURE OVER COOLED BROWNIE LAYER. 

SPRINKLE WITH PECANS IF DESIRED.

CHILL (ABOUT 30 MINUTES) BEFORE ADDING CHEESECAKE LAYER.

IN A LARGE BOWL, BEAT THE CREAM CHEESE, SUGAR, AND VANILLA UNTIL SMOOTH.

Cheesecake Layer Ready to Bake

ADD EGGS, ONE AT A TIME, BEATING WELL AFTER EACH ADDITION.

POUR CREAM CHEESE OVER CARAMEL LAYER. 

BAKE FOR 40 MINUTES.

CHILL IN PAN.

WHEN THOROUGHLY CHILLED, RUN A KNIFE AROUND THE EDGE, AND REMOVE RIM.

HEAT RESERVED CARAMEL AND FUDGE TOPPING AND DRIZZLE OVER PIECE.

ENJOY!!

Completed Cheesecake

*Mine did come out a bit doughy in the middle of
the brownie layer, but I increase the baking time on
my recipe written here so that shouldn't be an issue.