Butter Pecan Cheescake with Chocolate Glaze

I learned something about cheese cakes recently when I went to a special restaurant in Omaha called Sullivan's. The master chef served us a complimentary desert that change my whole belief that cheesecake is heavy. It was a new New York style baked one and it was light as a feather! When I asked how they got it so light, he said  you make it the day you are serving it and let it come to room temp and DONT refrigerate it  and it maintains the air bubbles and stays light. When you refrigerate it, is collapses the bubbles and your cheesecake gets more dense. So if you like it light and fluffy, make and serve at room temp! Of course we like it either way! But you wont believe how light it ends up. Your guests will think you are a master!

Crust

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup butter or margarine, softened

½ cup finely chopped pecans

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Filling and Topping

3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

4 eggs

½ teaspoon butter flavoring, if desired

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

¼ cup whipping (heavy) cream

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

½ cup pecan halves

DIRECTIONS

1.      Heat oven to 400°F. In medium bowl, beat all crust ingredients with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly. Pat dough in bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Bake about 7 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes.

2.      Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in 1 cup brown sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs, butter flavoring and vanilla, scraping bowl occasionally, until smooth. Pour into partially baked crust.

3.      Bake about 1 hour 10 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool 15 minutes (center will sink slightly).

4.      Meanwhile, heat chocolate chips and whipping cream in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Spread chocolate glaze on top of cheesecake.

5.      Heat 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter and the pecan halves in 8-inch nonstick skillet over low heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is melted and pecans are toasted. Spread on waxed paper; cool 5 minutes. Arrange sugared pecans along edge of top of cheesecake. Cool 2 hours at room temperature. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Run metal spatula along side of cheesecake to loosen; remove side of pan. Store covered in refrigerator

Nutritional Information ( Just so you know)

1        Serving (1 Serving)

·         Calories 400 (Calories from Fat 270),

·         Total Fat 30g

o    (Saturated Fat 16g,Trans Fat ncg),

·         Cholesterol 120mg;

·         Sodium 190mg;

·         Total Carbohydrate 26g

o    (Dietary Fiber 1g,

o    Sugars ncg),

·         Protein 7g;