I turned 40 the other day and am rejoicing in another year of God's grace. I celebrated by taking the dog for a long walk, visiting with a friend, attending my son's basketball game, and enjoying a family movie night. The one thing I didn't do was eat birthday cake—I've been gluten free for a couple of years now due to a gluten intolerance. But I didn't even mind because I got something even better: this gluten-free turtle cheesecake, made with love by my husband. It takes a little while to make, but its rich, creamy deliciousness makes it well worth the effort. And lest you think I only say that because my husband is the one making it, I've made him one for his birthday as well (and then forgot to refrigerate it and had to make another). Enjoy!
CRUST:
1 3/4 cups Cinnamon Chex cereal, finely crushed
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
FILLING:
3 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (9 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
2 tablespoons chocolate flavor syrup
2 tablespoons caramel syrup or ice cream topping
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate mini morsels
PREHEAT oven to 300° F. Grease 9-inch springform pan (or round cake pan).
FOR CRUST:
COMBINE Cinnamon Chex crumbs and butter in medium bowl. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of prepared pan.
FOR FILLING:
BEAT cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar, eggs, lime juice, and vanilla extract; beat until combined.
MICROWAVE 1 1/2 cups chocolate morsels in uncovered microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute; STIR. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. STIR 2 cups of cheesecake batter into melted morsels; mix well. Alternately spoon chocolate and yellow batters into crust, beginning and ending with yellow batter.
BAKE for 70 to 75 minutes or until edge is set and center moves slightly. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes; run knife around edge of cheesecake. Cool completely. Drizzle chocolate and caramel syrup over cheesecake. Sprinkle with mini morsels. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
