Crust:
2 cups pecans
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
Filling:
26 caramels
1-1/2 Tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
Four 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Crust:
Finely grind nuts and sugar in processor. Add melted butter and
blend until moist crumbs form. Press crumb mixture onto bottom
only of springform pan.
Filling:
Cook caramels and milk until melted. Drizzle over crust. Using
electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until
well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just to combine after
each addition. Mix in vanilla. Pour filling into crust. Bake at
325ºF until top appears dry and cheesecake no longer moves
in center when pan is shaken, about 1 hour. Cool, cover and refrigerate
over night. Release pan sides from cheesecake. Serve.