Contests

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups shortbread cookie crumbs (put cookies in bag and crush with rolling pin)
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 3 tablespoons toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
• 3 packages (250 g. each) Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 eggs
• 9 3-inch pecan butter tarts (purchased) (you could also use raisin butter tarts)
• 1 tablespoon butterscotch ice cream topping
• 1 cup freshly whipped cream
• 1 tablespoon butterscotch ice cream topping
• 1 tablespoon toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the shortbread cookie crumbs, melted butter and 3 tablespoons pecans and mix well. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan and bake for 10 minutes. Cool.
3. In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix again until blended..
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on a low speed just until blended. Set filling aside
5. Trim any ragged edges of the top crusts of each butter tart so that they are all flat and even. Cut about 1/4 inch off of one side of each butter tart so there is a flat edge. Smear the top crusts of each tart with butterscotch sauce (like glue) and line the springform pan with the tarts so that the cut edge is pressed into the shortbread crust and the pecan filling is facing the outside of the spring form pan (see photo). Gently push the tarts, without breaking the crust so that they stick to the springform pan. If necessary trim any tarts further to ensure they aren't higher than the spring form pan.
6. Carefully pour the filling over the butter tart lined crust, evenly covering all the butter tarts. If there is a tiny bit of tart exposed, don't worry as when the cheesecake bakes, it will even out somewhat. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 70 minutes or until center is set. Turn off oven and let cheesecake cool in oven with door open for one hour.
7. Let cake cool completely before running a knife very carefully around cake to loosen from the rim of the pan. Refrigerate cake for at least 6 hours and preferably overnight.
8. To serve, decoratively cover top of cake with whipped cream and garnish with swirls of butterscotch and toasted pecans.