Caramel Chocolate No-Bake Cheesecake

Over the Christmas season, I saved all of the bits and pieces of a couple of batches of shortbread cookie dough and froze them to use in the future.  I also some cream cheese that needed to be used up.  One snowy weekend I decided that I would make a cheesecake.

Out of all of the kitchen tools and gadgets we have, I couldn't for the life of me find a cheesecake spring form pan.  I knew I had one at one point in my life but coupe not locate it when I needed it.  In hindsight, I should have made this cheesecake in a square baking pan.

This recipe is one you may want to make when you are in the kitchen doing other stuff as it has quite a bit of waiting around time.

Shortbread Base

1 cup Butter
1 cup Flour
1/2 cup Icing Sugar
1/2 cup Corn Starch
1 tsp Vanilla

Caramel Layer

1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 tbsp Butter

Cheesecake Layer

2 block Cream Cheese (8oz)
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 cup Whipping Cream
1 tsp Vanilla

Chocolate Ganache
1 bag Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup Whipping Cream

Shortbread Base:

• Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. 
• Mix all ingredients in mixer until soft dough forms.
• Spray springform pan with no-stick spray.
• Add 1/2 the shortbread base and pressure into the bottom of the pan forming an even layer.
• Freeze the remaining dough or make some cookies.
• Bake crust at 325 for 25 minutes until slightly brown.

Caramel Layer

• Heat butter and sweetened condensed milk in a pan over medium heat until it turns a slightly brown color.
• Pour over the precooked shortbread base.
• Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Cheesecake Layer

• Mix room temperature cream cheese, whipping cream, powdered sugar in a mixer until smooth.
• Add vanilla.
• Pour over cooled caramel base.
• Smooth out top with a spatula.

  

Chocolate Ganache & Finishing

• Warm whipping cream for three one minute intervals in microwave (or over low heat on the stove)
• Pour chocolate chips into the hot cream.
• Stir until chocolate chips are melted into the cream.
• The mixture should look like warm runny chocolate icing.  
• Let cool for about 10 minutes.
• Stir again.
• The mixture should be a silky smooth pourable icing.
• Pour over cheesecake layer.
• Top should be smooth like a skating rink.
• Refrigerate for 4 hours.

    

This dessert is pretty sweet which is why I think it would be better as a square.  A little goes a long way.

This would be a great addition to a hot cup of coffee.

Jen