Dulce De Leche Cheesecake Squares
Wheatmeal Crackers (sometimes Called Digestive Biscuits) Have A Flavor Similar To Graham Crackers. For This Particular Recipe, We Prefer Carr's Brand Wheatmeal Crackers, Which Are Available At Supermarkets & Labeled As "whole Wheat Crackers." (don't Use Carr's Wheatolos, Which Are A Bit Too Sweet.)
1 Cup Wheatmeal Crackers (sometimes Called Digestive
Biscuits), Crumbled
2 Tbsps Sugar
3 Tbsps Unsalted Butter, Melted
1 Tsp Unflavored Gelatin (from A ¼ Oz Envelope)
¼ Cup Whole Milk
8 Oz Cream Cheese, Softened
2 Lg Eggs
3/8 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Dulce De Leche*
3 Oz Fine-quality Bittersweet Chocolate (not Unsweetened),
Coarsely Chopped
¼ Cup Unsalted Butter, Cut Into Pieces
2 Tsps Light Corn Syrup
Put Oven Rack In Middle Position & Preheat Oven To 325°f.
Line Bottom & Sides Of An 8-inch Square Baking Pan With 2 Sheets Of Foil (crisscrossed), Leaving A 2-inch Overhang On All Sides.
Finely Grind Crackers With Sugar & A Pinch Of Salt In A Food Processor. With Motor Running, Add Butter, Blending Until Combined. Press Mixture Evenly Onto Bottom Of Baking Pan. Bake 10 Minutes, Then Cool In Pan On A Rack 5 Minutes.
Sprinkle Gelatin Over Milk In A Small Bowl & Let Stand 2 Minutes To Soften.
Beat Together Cream Cheese, Eggs, Salt, & Gelatin Mixture In A Bowl With An Electric Mixer At Medium Speed Until Well Combined, About 2 Minutes, Then Stir In Dulce De Leche Gently But Thoroughly. Pour Filling Over Crust, Smoothing Top,
Then Bake In A Hot Water Bath In Oven Until Center Is Just Set, About 45 Minutes. Cool Cheesecake Completely In Pan On Rack, About 2 Hours. Chill, Covered, At Least 6 Hours.
Glaze Cake Within 2 Hours Of Serving:
Heat All Glaze Ingredients In A Double Boiler Or A Small Metal Bowl Set Over A Saucepan Of Barely Simmering Water, Stirring Until Smooth, Then Pour Over Cheesecake, Tilting Baking Pan To Coat Top Evenly. Chill, Uncovered, 30 Minutes.
Lift Cheesecake From Pan Using Foil Overhang & Cut Into 1-inch Squares With A Thin Knife, Wiping Off Knife After Each Cut.
Cooks' Note: Cheesecake (without Glaze) Can Be Chilled Up To 3 Days.
Dulce De Leche
4 Cups Milk
2 Cups Sugar
1 Tsp Baking Soda
Vanilla Extract
Scald Milk In Heavy Bottom Sauce Pan.
Add All Other Ingredients, Cook On Medium Low Until It Turns Into Caramel, About 1 Hour.
Makes 1 Quart.
Easy Dulce De Leche
1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
Remove The Label From The Can Of Condensed Milk. Do Not Under Any Circumstances Open The Can Yet.
Take The Can & Stick It In A Pot. Cover It With Water. Put The Pot On A Stove & Turn Up The Heat. Let The Pot & Can Simmer Gently For About 1½ - 2 To Two Hours For Runny Dulce De Leche, Or Up To Four Hours For Solid Dulce De Leche.
Add More Water, As Necessary, When The Level Boils Down Too Much.
When It's Done, Let It Cool For A While, & Then Carefully Open Up The Can & Eat Directly (for The Solid Variety) Or Use As A Dessert Spread (for The Liquid Variety).
The Resulting Product Should Be Colored Tan Or Brown.
Note: You Need To Keep A Close Eye On The Can. If It Shows Any Signs Of Expansion, Immediately Remove It From The Heat & Let It Cool.
If You Are Concerned At All At The High-pressure Nature Of The Recipe, You May Poke A Small Hole In The Top Of The Can, & Lower The Water Level So That The Can Is Not Completely Covered. This Will Allow The Internal Pressure Of The Can To Be Released, But It Will Also Make The Recipe Take Longer (since High Pressure Reduces Cooking Time).