Caramel Swirl Cream Pie

For the caramel layer, I used one of my favorite flavors on the planet.  Sweet, buttery,  dulce de leche.  Dulce de Leche is basically sweetened condensed milk that has been caramelized.  For many years, people spent hours boiling and slow cooking cans of sweetened condensed milk to make this treat, but, it’s no longer necessary.  Dulce is now readily available in the Hispanic foods section of most grocery stores and at many specialty food stores.  It’s thick, rich and buttery, just as a caramel should be.  Swirl it through a creamy cheesecake filling, and chill for a slice of caramel-cream heaven.
 
Ingredients you’ll need:
For the homemade crust: [Shortcut crust: 1 [9] inch pre-made shortbread crust]
2 cups pecan shortbread cookie crumbs [such as Pecan Sandies]
4 Tbsp butter, melted
3 Tbsp sugar
For the cheesecake layer:
1 [8 oz] softened Neufchatel cheese
1 [3.4 oz] box cheesecake flavored instant pudding
1 [13.4 oz] can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup whole milk, half & half or heavy cream
For the caramel layer:
1 [13.4 oz] can dulce de leche [*see cook’s note]
Topping:
1 Heath candy bar, crushed or 1/4 cup chocolate covered English toffee bits
1/3 cup toasted pecan pieces
fresh whipped cream or whipped topping, thawed

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Spritz a 9-inch deep dish pie pan with baking spray.  Toss together the crust ingredients and press onto the bottom and 1 inch up the side of the prepared pan.  Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden and set.  Cool completely.  Using a hand mixer whip together the cheesecake layer ingredients.  Whip for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and fully combined.  Spread over the cooled crust.

Spread the dulce over the cream cheese layer.  Gently swirl through the cream layer with the end of a knife.

Top with the crushed Heath bar and sprinkle with toasted pecan pieces.  Chill for several hours before cutting.  Serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or whipped topping.  Yield: 8 pieces

Cook’s note:
Dulce de Leche is a luscious thick caramel.  It’s readily available in most grocery stores in the Hispanic food section.  The can looks similar to sweetened condensed milk.  It’s quite different, so read carefully.  If you’re unable to find it, use the equivalent amount of your favorite thick caramel ice cream topping instead.

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Caramel Swirl Cream Pie

Servings 8

Author Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

• For the homemade crust: [Shortcut crust: 1 [9] inch pre-made shortbread crust]
• 2 cups pecan shortbread cookie crumbs [such as Pecan Sandies]
• 4 Tbsp butter melted
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• For the cheesecake layer:
• 1 [8 oz] softened Neufchatel cheese
• 1 [3.4 oz] box cheesecake flavored instant pudding
• 1 [13.4 oz] can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup whole milk half & half or heavy cream
• For the caramel layer:
• 1 [13.4 oz] can dulce de leche [*see cook's note]
• Topping:
• 1 Heath candy bar crushed or 1/4 cup chocolate covered English toffee bits
• 1/3 cup toasted pecan pieces
• fresh whipped cream or whipped topping thawed

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spritz a 9-inch deep dish pie pan with baking spray.
2. Toss together the crust ingredients and press onto the bottom and 1 inch up the side of the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden and set. Cool completely.
4. Using a hand mixer whip together the cheesecake layer ingredients. Whip for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and fully combined.
5. Spread over the cooled crust.
6. Spread the dulce over the cream cheese layer.
7. Gently swirl through the cream layer with the end of a knife.
8. Top with the crushed Heath bar and sprinkle with toasted pecan pieces.
9. Chill for several hours before cutting.
10. Serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or whipped topping.

Recipe Notes

Dulce de Leche is a luscious thick caramel. It's readily available in most grocery stores in the Hispanic food section. The can looks similar to sweetened condensed milk. It's quite different, so read carefully. If you're unable to find it, use the equivalent amount of your favorite thick caramel ice cream topping instead.