Ultimate Turtle Cheesecake

The recipe and photo comes from Kraft Recipes

I'm a sucker for cheesecake and turtles are one of my favorite candies!

what you need

24 OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 2 cups)

6 Tbsp.  butter or margarine, melted

1 pkg. (14 oz.) KRAFT Caramels

1/2 cup  milk

1 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans

3 pkg.  (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 Tbsp.  vanilla

3 eggs

2 squares  BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

make it

HEAT oven to 325°F.

MIX crumbs and butter; press onto bottom and 2 inches up side of 9-inch springform pan.

MICROWAVE caramels and milk in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 3 min. or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after each minute. Stir in nuts; pour half into crust. Refrigerate 10 min. Refrigerate remaining caramel mixture for later use.

BEAT cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over caramel layer in crust.

BAKE 1 hour 5 min. to 1 hour 10 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours.

MICROWAVE reserved caramel mixture 1 min.; stir. Pour over cheesecake. Melt chocolate as directed on package; drizzle over cheesecake.

kraft kitchens tips

SIZE-WISE

Enjoy a serving of this decadent treat on special occasions.

NOTE

Reduce oven temperature to 300°F if using a dark nonstick springform pan.

HOW TO CUT A CHEESECAKE

When cutting a cheesecake, use a knife with a thin blade, wiping the blade with a damp paper towel or rinsing with warm water after each cut for best results. Or, try using unwaxed dental floss. Just cut an 18-inch piece of floss, then wrap the ends around your index fingers. Cut the cheesecake in half by pulling the floss through the cheesecake, starting at top surface of cheesecake and keeping the floss pulled tight. Release one end of the floss and pull through bottom of cheesecake. Rewrap the floss and use to cut cheesecake into desired number of slices.