Dulce de Leche Cheesecake

10 servings

Prep time 30 min plus cooling

Bake time 1 hr

One 10 oz box shortbread cookies, such as lorna doone or pecan sandies or walkers shortbread

1/4 c blanched almonds, toasted

2 T brown sugar

1/2 t salt

4 T unsalted butter, melted

2 8 oz. pkgs cream cheese, at room temp

3 T flour

2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, room temp

1 3/4 c dulce de leche

Boiling water for baking

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Wrap the outside of a 9" springform pan with foil. Using a food processor, finely chop the cookies, nuts, brown sugar and 1/4 t salt. Add the butter and pulse until just combined. Press into the bottom of the prepeared pan and bake until set, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. Lower the oven temp to 300.

2. Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese until softened, 2 minutes. Beat in the fjour and remaining 1/4 t salt on low speed. Beat in the eggs and egg yolk, 1 at a time, on medium speed. Mix in 1 cup dulce de leche.

3. Pour the batter into the crust. Loosely cover the pan with foil, set in a roasting pan and pour in enough boiling water to reach a depth of 1 inch. Bak the cheesecake until set at the edges but slightly wobbly in the center, about 55 minutes.

4. Transfer the cake to a rack; let rest for 15 minutes. Spread the remaining 3/4 c dulce de leche over the warm cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve, then remove the springform and slice the cheesecake.

I put orange zest all over the top of my cake before I cut it and it really made a difference. I don't normally like "orange" but this orange zest combined w/the dulce was out of this world. Make sure you run your knife in hot water between cuts. I would also go and get an oven thermometer if you don't have one. Taylor makes on that is great from 9-18 smackers. You really need to make sure your oven temp is accurate. I have a brand new wall oven that is convection and also regular baking and it still runs roughly 12 degrees off. I got my calphalon springform pan at Target and it works terrific.