Create your own cheesecake: Dulce de Leche Cheesecake

Made Dulce de Leche Cheesecakes for housemates and landlord to share. Unlike other recipe, this recipe has very prominent flavour of Dulce de Leche. Instead of chocolate wafers, I use Oreo cookies because I like it better.

I piped more Dulce de Leche (thinned down with milk and whipped until smooth, combined and fluffy) on the plate and serve it like that. My dark chocolate topping was very bitter, it's 85% cocoa content so the whole thing wasn't really sweet, though I did cut down more sugar and replace it with Dulce de Leche.

The recipe, create your own flavour at Finecooking.com!!!! It's so much fun. I bake it into several 7'' round pan and the resulting slice of cheesecake is smaller and cuter.


Dulce de Leche Cheesecake

8 oz. chocolate wafers, finely crushed (2 cups of crumbs)

3 Tbs. granulated sugar

7 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature

3/4 cup dulce de leche

2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

Table salt

1-1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract

4 large eggs, at room temperature

3 oz. chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

5 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 Tbs. light corn syrup

Whipped cream, for garnish

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.

In a medium bowl, stir together the chocolate wafer crumbs and 3 Tbs. granulated sugar. Mix in the melted butter until the crumbs are evenly moist and clump together slightly. Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch springform pan and press evenly onto the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of the pan (to press, use plastic wrap or a flat-bottom measuring cup). Bake until the crust is fragrant and slightly darkened, 9 to 12 minutes. Let the pan cool on a rack. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, dulce de leche, flour, and a pinch of table salt on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl and the paddle frequently, until very smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Make sure the cheese has no lumps. Add the 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar and continue beating until well blended and smooth.

Add the vanilla and beat until blended, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until blended. (Don’t overbeat once the eggs have been added or the cheesecake will puff too much and crack as it cools.) Pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top.

Bake at 300°F until the center jiggles like Jell-O when nudged, 55 to 65 minutes. The cake will be slightly puffed around the edges, and the center will still look moist. Set on a rack and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. The cake can also be frozen at this point for up to 1 month. (To freeze, put the unmolded, cooled cake on a rimmed baking sheet in the freezer, uncovered, until the top is cold and firm; then wrap it in two layers of plastic and one layer of foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.)

In a small bowl, melt the 3 oz. chopped chocolate and the butter. Add the corn syrup and whisk until smooth. Unclasp and remove the side of the springform pan and run a long, thin metal spatula under the bottom crust of the cheesecake. Carefully slide the cake onto a flat serving plate. Pour the ganache on the cheesecake and spread evenly.

Garnish with whipped cream and serve immediately. To cut, run a thin knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut the cake into slices, heating and wiping the knife after every slice.

(Serves 10 to 12)