Warm Fudge-filled Cheesecake

When Kim made this cheesecake at the beach this year, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. It was UH-MAY-ZING.

That is to say, you should make it as soon as possible. And then you should bring it to me.

She got the recipe from myrecipes.com, but it originally came from Southern Living. As most good things do. Because I'm a terrible person I -- yet again -- ate my cheesecake before taking a picture of it. BAD BLOGGER.

But you know what's funny? My friend Tina Cornett used to be a staff photographer at Southern Progress Corporation and did a lot of their food photography, and she happened to have shot this dish. So hopefully she won't mind that I borrowed her picture from myrecipes.com. Fun fact: Tina has taken many of our annual family pictures. And also this cheesecake.

Warm Fudge-filled Cheesecake

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon vanilla, divided
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans (the original recipe calls for pistachios, but Kim uses pecans)
• 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs 
• 1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate mini-morsels
• Sweetened whipped cream (optional)
• Garnish: chocolate shavings

 

1. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; add 1/3 cup sugar, beating well. Gradually add flour, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and pecans. Press into bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
2. Bake at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.
3. Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; gradually add 1 1/2 cups sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Stir in remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla. (Do not overmix.)
4. Pour half of batter into crust; sprinkle with chocolate morsels to within 3/4 inch of edge. Pour in remaining batter, starting at outer edge and working toward center. Place cheesecake on a baking sheet.
5. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until set. Cool on a wire rack 1 hour. Serve slightly warm with sweetened whipped cream, if desired. Garnish, if desired.