Turtle Cheesecake

This rich turtle cheesecake takes its inspiration from turtles, a delicious chocolate candy filled with gooey chewy caramel, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate, and crunchy toasted pecans all throughout. They're my absolute favorite and are always what I reach for first in a box of chocolates. The candy was developed in the early 1900s and got its name because it was originally formed to resemble a turtle. Now you will see the candy formed into mounds or clusters, but the flavors are still all the same. 

This dessert is made for those who love the chewy and crunchy turtle confection and the creamy decadence of cheesecake. It starts off with a buttery crust made from pecan sandies to create a nutty and crisp base. I love the texture of the shortbread cookies here, but if you cant find pecan sandies at your local supermarket, feel free to substitute with graham crackers—I promise it will turn out delicious either way.

The filling is made up of two distinct layers, a semisweet chocolate and a plain cheesecake layer. Though the cheesecake looks so impressive, it's easy to achieve the jaw-dropping finish. All you do is mix some melted chocolate into a portion of the cheesecake base and layer both into the cake pan. To top off the cheesecake, drizzle on caramel sauce, chocolate ganache, and chopped toasted pecans. The buttery crust with its slight bitterness, deep chocolate flavor, sweet caramel, and crunchy pecans makes for a truly irresistible desert.

Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!