Turtle Rum Cheesecake

Submitted by Emily Cunningham

Crust:

• 1-1/4 cup fine graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup cocoa
• 1/3 cup melted butter

Stir together, press in a 9” pie pan. Bake at 350 for 7 minutes.

Filling:

• 6 oz. semisweet chocolate
• 2 Tbsp strong brewed coffee
• 10 Tbsp butter, cubed
• ¼ cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup ground nuts (pecans or walnuts)

Line a different 9” pie pan with parchment paper and spray paper with nonstick cooking spray. Melt butter and sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium heat until dissolved. Add chocolate and coffee and stir until melted. Beat eggs in a bowl until frothy. Add eggs and nuts to pan and stir until combined. Pour into prepared pie pan. Put pie pan in a larger pan. Add water to the larger pan until it is 2/3 of the way up the side of the pie pan. Bake at 400 for 40 minutes or until top feels spongy and starts to crack. Cool 5 minutes and turn out onto graham cracker crust.

Topping:

• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 5 oz. evaporated milk
• Dash salt
• 2 Tbsp rum

Melt together butter, sugar and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Boil 7 minutes. Add salt and rum. Cool to room temperature and pour over cake. Garnish with roasted pecans.