Ingredients

  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/2 cup chopped roasted pecans
  • 2/3 cup melted butter
  • 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 pounds goat cheese, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup crushed pralines, recipe follows
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup goat cheese, room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 cup praline sauce or caramel sauce
  • 1 cup candied pecans, store bought
  • Whipped cream in a pastry bag with star tip
  • Fresh mint sprigs
  • 1/2 pound light brown sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons butter
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Method

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the crumbs, pecans, and butter together.
  • Press into a 10-inch springform pan.
  • Allow the crust to come up the sides of the pan.
  • For the filling: In a food processor, combine the cheese, sugar, and sour cream and blend until smooth.
  • Add the eggs one at a time until incorporated.
  • Dissolve the cornstarch in the cream and add to the cream cheese mixture.
  • Fold in the pralines and vanilla.
  • Pour the filling into the spring form and bake for 1 hour or until the cake has set.
  • After cake removing from the oven, run a knife around the edges of the pan to prevent the cake from cracking.
  • Combine the topping ingredients and mix until smooth.
  • After the cake has cooled spread the topping evenly over the top of the cake and sprinkle the top of the cake with the graham cracker crumbs.
  • Place a piece of the cake in the center of the plate.
  • Drizzle the praline sauce over the cake and sprinkle the pecans around the plate.
  • Garnish with the whipped cream and fresh mint.
  • Mix the sugar, salt, evaporated milk, and butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
  • Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until sugar dissolves.
  • Stir in pecans and cook over medium heat until mixture reaches the soft ball stage.
  • (234 to 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer; if you spoon a drop of boiling syrup into a cup of ice water, it will form a soft ball that flattens easily between your fingers.)
  • Remove pan from heat and stir rapidly until mixture thickens.
  • Drop pralines by teaspoonfuls, 1-inch apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets; let cool completely until firmed up.
  • Store in an airtight container.
  • Yield: about 1 dozen