Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake Recipe

Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake Recipe

Course: cheesecake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 2 25

Chill Time: 8 20

Total Time: 11 5

Servings: people

Calories: 659kcal

Author: Becky Hardin - Easy Dessert Recipes

This chocolate caramel cheesecake will be a slam dunk at your next gathering! Decadent, indulgent, rich and delicious, it's a fall dessert that's perfect for Thanksgiving. But of course it's delicious enough to want all year round!

Print Recipe

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
9-inch Springform Pan
Stand Mixer

Ingredients

For the Crust

4½ cups crushed graham crackers 639 grams, about 40 cracker sheets
¼ cup granulated sugar 50 grams
¼ cup brown sugar 53 grams
1 cup unsalted butter 226 grams, melted (2 sticks)

For the Cheesecake

24 ounces cream cheese 681 grams, room temperature (3 bricks)
⅓ cup granulated sugar 67 grams
⅓ cup heavy cream 76 grams, room temperature
2½ teaspoons lime juice 12 grams, from 1¼ limes
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
3 large eggs 150 grams, room temperature
1½ tablespoons cornstarch 11 grams

For the Caramel Layer

½ cheesecake batter (see above) 502 grams
⅓ cup caramel sauce 107 grams, store-bought or homemade

For the Chocolate Layer

½ cheesecake batter (see above) 502 grams
⅓ cup chocolate chips 57 grams, melted

For the Ganache

5 tablespoons heavy cream 71 grams
⅔ cup chocolate chips 113 grams

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a piece of parchment paper, then line the sides with a long piece of parchment paper. Set aside.
To make the crust, mix the graham crackers, sugar, and brown sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Add the melted butter and stir until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press the crust mixture into the bottom and sides of the springform pan. The crust will be very thick. Place the springform pan into the fridge to chill for 20 minutes while you make the cheesecake batter.
4½ cups crushed graham crackers, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 cup unsalted butter
For the base cheesecake batter, place the cream cheese and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat together on high speed for 2 minutes to ensure that it is smooth and creamy. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl down. Add in the heavy cream, lime juice, vanilla, and salt and beat together until combined. Add in the eggs and beat together for 15 seconds. Lastly, add in the cornstarch and beat together to incorporate.
24 ounces cream cheese, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup heavy cream, 2½ teaspoons lime juice, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 3 large eggs, 1½ tablespoons cornstarch
Divide the cheesecake batter into 2 medium-sized bowls.
For the caramel layer, mix half of the cheesecake batter and the caramel together until combined. For the chocolate layer, mix half of the cheesecake batter and the melted chocolate together until combined.
½ cheesecake batter (see above), ⅓ cup caramel sauce, ½ cheesecake batter (see above), ⅓ cup chocolate chips
Take the crust out of the refrigerator and pour the caramel cheesecake batter into it in a smooth layer. Wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan with tin foil to prevent any water from seeping in. Place the springform pan into a large baking pan or broiler pan. Fill the broiler pan with 1 inch of warm water to create a water bath. Place the pans into the oven to bake for 50 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool slightly for 5 minutes.
Gently spoon the chocolate cheesecake batter on top of the caramel layer. Gently tap the sides of the pan to get the chocolate layer smooth. Do not smooth out with a spoon or rubber spatula, as this can cause the chocolate batter to go down into the caramel layer. Place the pans back into the oven to bake for 30 minutes.
Once baked, turn the oven off and let the cheesecake rest inside with the door closed for 30 minutes. Prop the oven door open slightly and let the cheesecake rest for another 30 minutes. Once rested, remove from the oven, unwrap the tinfoil and place the springform pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Once the cheesecake has cooled, cover and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 8 hours.
To make the ganache, heat the heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute. Pour the heated heavy cream on top of the chocolate chips. Let stand for 1 minute to allow the chocolate to melt before mixing until smooth.
5 tablespoons heavy cream, ⅔ cup chocolate chips
Once the cheesecake has chilled, uncover and pour the ganache on top. Smooth out. Release the springform and remove the sides from the cheesecake. Slice and serve.

Video

Notes

Lemon juice may be used in place of the lime juice in the filling.
2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour may be used instead of cornstarch to thicken the filling.
Follow all of the directions completely, as this cheesecake recipe has come about through many trials and tests. The mixing times and bake times are precisely what they should be to achieve the perfect cheesecake.
If the cream cheese is not creamed properly at the start of the recipe, it will stay clumpy throughout the mixing and will create a lumpy cheesecake batter. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl down so that no lumps remain. If you should have any lumps at the end of making the batter, use a rubber or wooden spatula to press the lumps against the side of the bowl to dissipate them.
Do not skip the water bath. This aids in prevention of cracking. The steam helps to bake the cheesecake evenly.
Be sure to let the cheesecake rest both with the door closed and the door propped open after it has been baked. Allowing it to rest with the door closed lets it finish baking through gently. Letting it rest with the door propped open allows it to slowly cool down. Pulling the cheesecake out of the oven without allowing it to rest will cause a temperature shock creating severe cracking.
The cheesecake will be slightly jiggly in the center after it is done baking. It is imperative that it chills to allow it to finish setting up completely.
This cheesecake freezes really well. For ease of serving, I like to slice the entire cheesecake into individual slices and then wrap each slice in plastic wrap really well. This makes for ease of freezing and for quick serving later on.
When making the ganache, I find that an immersion blender makes quick and easy work of bringing the ganache together versus whisking it together by hand. The immersion blender also ensures that there are no remaining lumps of chocolate chips in the ganache.

Storage: Store chocolate caramel cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Nutrition