Take 5 Cheesecake

This rich cheesecake has a pretzel crust, a caramel sauce topping (and drizzle), and a chocolate peanut butter ganache topping!

I am so excited to finally get around to sharing this recipe (although I'm a few days late actually getting it up like I was supposed to. Sunday Sarah here backdating to Friday - whoops! This is the cake that I made for my sister-in-law's birthday in February 2020. She asked for a cheesecake and said her favorite candy bars were Take 5s. I had never heard of them or had one before, but I was able to find out that they are chocolate with pretzel, caramel, and peanut butter. I mean what's not to love?! So I adapted a Twix cheesecake recipe and replaced the graham crust for pretzel crust and added peanut butter to the ganache. This is definitely really high up there on favorite cheesecakes of all time list. It was SO good.

What you need:

For the Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups pretzels
• 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
  

For the Cheesecake:

• 4 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, at room temperature, divided
  
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar, divided
  
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
  

For the Caramel Sauce:

• 40 Kraft caramels, unwrapped
• 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk 
• 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  

For the Chocolate Ganache:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 12 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
• A few tablespoons creamy peanut butter
  

For Garnish:

• Take 5 bars (optional)
  

Directions:

1. For the Crust: Combine all ingredients and press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan that has been lined with parchment paper and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8 minutes. Let cool slightly.
   
3. For the cheesecake: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat 1 pkg of cream cheese with 1/3 cup sugar, and all the cornstarch on low for about 3 minutes. Scrape sides as needed.
4. Add remaining cream cheese, 1 pkg at a time, scraping the sides after each addition.
5. Beat the remaining 1 1/3 cup sugar on medium speed. Then add vanilla.
6. Mix in eggs on low speed, one at a time, until well combined.
7. Beat in heavy cream until just combined.
8. Pour batter onto cooled crust and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour 15 minutes. The top will be light golden brown and the center barely jiggly.
9. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 2 hours. Then chill in refrigerator for a few hours until cold.
10. For the caramel: Combine all ingredients in a heatproof bowl and microwave at 30 second to 1 minute intervals, stirring after each time. Continue until smooth and blended. Let cool slightly.
11. For the ganache: Heat heavy cream in microwave and add chopped chocolate and peanut butter to it. Let sit for 2 minutes before stirring ensuring chocolate and peanut butter has melted and it's well combined and smooth.
12. Pour half of the caramel sauce into the center where the cheesecake has deflated a bit (and to cover any cracks). Chill to let caramel firm up.
13. Pour chocolate ganache on top and top with Take 5 bars, if desired. Chill to let ganache set up.
    
14. Top individual slices with a drizzle of the caramel sauce, if desired.
    

Recipe adapted from Twix Cheesecake from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

 

Take 5 Cheesecake

Author: Sarah Ellis/Fantastical Sharing of Recipes

Ingredients

For the Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups pretzels
• 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For the Cheesecake:

• 4 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

For the Caramel Sauce:

• 40 Kraft caramels, unwrapped
• 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
• 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter

For the Chocolate Ganache:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 12 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
• A few tablespoons creamy peanut butter

For Garnish:

• Take 5 bars (optional)

Instructions

1. For the Crust: Combine all ingredients and press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan that has been lined with parchment paper and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8 minutes. Let cool slightly.
3. For the cheesecake: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat 1 pkg of cream cheese with 1/3 cup sugar, and all the cornstarch on low for about 3 minutes. Scrape sides as needed.
4. Add remaining cream cheese, 1 pkg at a time, scraping the sides after each addition.
5. Beat the remaining 1 1/3 cup sugar on medium speed. Then add vanilla.
6. Mix in eggs on low speed, one at a time, until well combined.
7. Beat in heavy cream until just combined.
8. Pour batter onto cooled crust and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour 15 minutes. The top will be light golden brown and the center barely jiggly.
9. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 2 hours. Then chill in refrigerator for a few hours until cold.
10. For the caramel: Combine all ingredients in a heatproof bowl and microwave at 30 second to 1 minute intervals, stirring after each time. Continue until smooth and blended. Let cool slightly.
11. For the ganache: Heat heavy cream in microwave and add chopped chocolate and peanut butter to it. Let sit for 2 minutes before stirring ensuring chocolate and peanut butter has melted and it's well combined and smooth.
12. Pour half of the caramel sauce into the center where the cheesecake has deflated a bit (and to cover any cracks). Chill to let caramel firm up.
13. Pour chocolate ganache on top and top with Take 5 bars, if desired. Chill to let ganache set up.
14. Top individual slices with a drizzle of the caramel sauce, if desired.

Notes:

Recipe adapted from Twix Cheesecake from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Created using The Recipes Generator