Carmel Toffee Cheesecake with Ginger Snap Crust

I made this for Thanksgiving and my family devoured it!

I mean even the health nuts were shoving this in as hard as they could.

It's actually kind of crazy how it pulled together. I knew I wanted a ginger snap crust and just used leftover ingredients from my Carmel Apple Dip I had made earlier in the week to top it off.

I used Mi Del Ginger Snaps (Found at Publix) and they worked perfect.

If you haven't had them before they are a softer snap than I am used to but really yummy.

Mix and pack firmly in the bottom of your pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 8 minutes. All to cool before pouring the cheese cake batter in.

INGREDIENTS

For the crust

• 1 1/2 cups of crushed Gluten Free Ginger Snaps (I used Mi Del)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

• 2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 5 whole extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the topping:

• Heath Toffee Chips 
• Cool Whip

Carmel Topping

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup of Half and Half
4 T of butter
1 T of Vanilla

Put brown sugar, half and half and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk continuously for 5-7 minutes. Mine started to bubble and got a tad thicker. Pull from the burner and add vanilla. Put back on heat for another minute whisking continuously. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes then pour into a jar and refrigerate. Warm up in the microwave later and use as you wish! Yields 10 oz.

Be patient it will thicken up a lot after placed in the fridge. 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the crust, combine the ginger snaps, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.

To make the filling, cream the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.

Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 225 degrees and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cake will not be completely set in the center. Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving.

Pipe dollops of cool whip and add some extra pretty to the top of the cake by sprinkling toffee chips around the edges.

Cut with a warm knife wiping after each cut keep from tearing your cake slices apart.

Serve and Enjoy