Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Crust:

1 ¾  cups vanilla wafer crumbs

¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar

⅓ cup butter, melted

Pecan Filling:

1 cup sugar

⅔ cup dark corn syrup

⅓ cup butter, melted

2 eggs

1 ½ cups chopped pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cheesecake Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 ¼ cups firmly packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 eggs

⅔ cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crust:

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine wafer crumbs and brown sugar. 

Stir in melted butter. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9″ springform pan. Bake for 6 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Pecan Filling:

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 

Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour into crust and set aside.

Cheesecake Filling:

Reduce oven to 325°. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. 

Add brown sugar and flour and beat until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. 

Stir in cream and vanilla. Pour over pecan filling. Bake for 1 hour. 

Turn off oven and leave cheesecake in oven with the door closed for 1 hour. 

Remove from oven and run a knife along the outside edges to loosen cheesecake from sides of pan. Let cool. 

Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

**Note: I always end up having a mushy crust whenever I try to do a water bath for my cheesecakes - I guess I just don't wrap the pan well enough in foil. 

This time I had a Pyrex dish filled with very hot water on the bottom rack while the cheesecake baked on the top rack, and I did not have a single crack!