Caramel-Pecan Cheesecake Pie

A stand-out recipe from National Pie Day Party 2013.   

    1 pie pastry* (I used the recipe below)

    1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

    1/2 cup sugar

    4 eggs

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    1-1/4 cups chopped pecans

    1 jar (12-1/4 ounces) fat-free caramel ice cream topping**

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg and vanilla until smooth. Spread into pastry shell; sprinkle with pecans.

In a small bowl, whisk remaining eggs; gradually whisk in caramel topping until blended. Pour slowly over pecans.

Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned (loosely cover edges with foil after 20 minutes if pie browns too quickly).

  

Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before slicing.

**Can use this recipe instead (I did)

[size=3]Caramel In A Can (Dulce de leche)[/size]

 1.You will need one un-opened can of sweetened condensed milk with the paper taken off.

 2. Place the unopened can in a crock-pot. Completely submerge the unopened can in water.

 3. Cook on the crock-pot's 'low' setting for 8 - 10 hours (lid on).  (I did two cans, as this was the first time I tried this technique. I felt 8 hours wasn't long enough, even though I started out with hot water in the crockpot. So I re-processed the second can for several hours more. The second can is the one I used in the pie.)

 4.Cool down the unopened can in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Cooling the can is the key. I cooled mine at room temp and left it there for several days, unopened. It was just fine.

Buttery Crunch Crust

*I chose this crust recipe, rather than a plain crust as the recipe suggested. It was a very good decision.

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a medium bowl, mix together pecans, sugar, and flour. Stir in melted butter or margarine.

Reserve 1/2 of the mixture for topping the pie, and then press the rest evenly into a 9 inch pie pan. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Allow crust to cool before filling.