Creole Cream Cheese Cheesecake with Praline Sauce

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Yield: Makes one 9” cheesecake.

Ingredients:

½ lb. butter
4 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 ½ lbs. cream cheese
8 oz. Creole cream cheese (*recipe below must be made 3-4 days in advance; or use store-bought)
6 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tbsp. vanilla
2 cups pecans
2 cups praline liqueur
1 ½ cups dark Karo syrup
½ lb. butter
½ cup corn starch
1 ½ cups water
1 tbsp. vanilla
Pinch of salt

Method:

To make graham cracker crust: 

Melt butter and allow to slightly cool. Pour melted butter over graham cracker crumbs in a large bowl. Mix butter and graham cracker crumbs with a wooden spoon until incorporated. Spoon graham cracker mixture into a 9 inch spring form cheesecake pan. Firmly press the mixture across the entire bottom of the pan and about half way up the sides of the pan. Use a small measuring cup or juice glass to tightly pack the crust against the pan if necessary. Crust should be about ¼” thick to avoid crumbling.

To make Creole cream cheese filling:

Preheat oven to 300°. Mix cream cheese, Creole cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla in food processor until smooth, occasionally scraping down the sides of processor bowl to ensure that ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to do this in two batches. Spoon filling into graham cracker crust lined pan. Bake for 2 hours, or until set. Chill for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight, before cutting to serve.

To make praline topping:

Evenly spread pecans on a sheet pan and lightly toast in a 300° oven. Bring praline liqueur, Karo syrup and butter to a simmer. Make a slurry (culinary term for a thin paste) with cornstarch and water. Temper slurry with a small amount of the hot liqueur, syrup and butter, then add the slurry to the remaining hot liquid, whisking continuously. Continue cooking until mixture begins to thicken. Add toasted pecans, vanilla and salt. Allow topping to cool to room temperature. Spoon over each slice of cheesecake immediately before serving.

Creole Cream Cheese

½ gal. skim milk
¼ cup buttermilk
12 drops rennin, liquid (or ¼ tablet rennin)

Heat skim milk to 80°-90°F. Use a thermometer to make sure the milk is not heated to more than 90°F. Add rennin to buttermilk (dissolve if in tablet form), then add to skim milk. Stir well. Pour into a clean container and set aside, uncovered, to allow to curd. Do not place container near heat or in the refrigerator. Container can be placed in an air-conditioned room, but not in direct line with airflow. Cheese will curd in 24-30 hours. 

Line a large strainer with cheesecloth and pour curds into strainer. Place strainer over a bowl and allow curds to drip, removing water from dripping bowl as needed. When curds no longer drip, cheese is ready. This will take about 2 days. Refrigerated Creole cream cheese will keep for several weeks.