German Chocolate Cheesecake

German Chocolate Cheesecake

For the crust:
2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs (about two inner packages of
graham crackers). Chocolate cookie crumbs may be substituted.
6 tablespoons butter, melted.

For the filling:
2 1/2 eight-ounce packages of cream cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk

For the toppings:
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
For the chocolate topping, combine four ounces of sweet German
chocolate with two tablespoons whipping cream and one tablespoon
butter. Melt in a small saucepan and stir until smooth.
For the caramel topping, melt 12 caramels with 1/3 cup cream in a
small saucepan, stirring until smooth. Or use ice cream topping.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

1. In a nine-inch spring form pan, mix the cracker crumbs and the
melted butter. Press the crumb mixture into a crust across the bottom
and about one inch up the sides. Bake the crust for eight minutes.
2. In a large bowl, cream the cream cheese with the sugar. Add the
flour and salt. Add the eggs, vanilla, and milk all at once. Mix
until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Pour the
filling mix into the crust.
3. Bake for ten minutes at 450 degrees. Lower the temperature to 200
degrees and bake for an additional 35 to 40 minutes or until the
cheesecake filling is set.
4. After the cheesecake has cooled for ten minutes, with a sharp
knife, loosen the edges of the cheesecake from the pan so that the
cake will pull away from the pan as it cools. Remove the rim of the
pan after it has cooled for about forty-five minutes.
5. Drizzle the cheesecake with caramel and then with chocolate.
Sprinkle nuts on the cake. Refrigerate until completely cool before
serving.