Ingredients:
- ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Cold Unsalted Butter, cubed
- ½ cup Toasted Chopped Pecans
- (8 oz) packages Full-Fat Cream Cheese, softened
- cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ cup Full-Fat Sour Cream
- Large Eggs
- teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
- ¾ cup Light Corn Syrup
- ½ cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
- tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- Large Egg Yolks
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ cups Chopped Pecan Halves
- Pinch of Salt
Instructions:
- Prepare pan: Lightly grease and line the base of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Wrap the bottom and sides securely with 2-3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Make crust: Pulse flour, sugar, salt, and cold butter in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Add toasted pecans and pulse briefly. Press mixture firmly into the prepared springform pan.
- Par-Bake: Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden. Remove and let cool slightly.
- Prepare Water Bath: Place the foil-wrapped springform pan inside a large roasting pan. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).
- Mix Filling: Beat room-temperature cream cheese until completely smooth. Gradually beat in sugar, then mix in sour cream, vanilla, and lemon juice. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing only until just combined—do not overmix.
- Assemble Layers: Pour ¾ of the cheesecake batter over the cooled crust.
- Prepare Topping: In a small saucepan, gently heat corn syrup, brown sugar, and butter until melted and smooth. Whisk in the egg yolks, vanilla, and salt until combined.
- Layer & Swirl: Drizzle half of the pecan pie mixture over the cheesecake batter. Dollop the remaining batter on top, then drizzle the rest of the pecan mixture. Use a thin knife or spatula to gently cut through the layers 2-3 times to create a marbled swirl effect.
- Water Bath Bake: Carefully place the roasting pan into the oven. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
- Bake for 75–90 minutes. The edges should be set, but the center should still wobble slightly.
- Oven Cool: Turn the oven off. Crack the oven door open slightly and allow the cheesecake to cool inside the water bath for 1 hour.
- Final Chill: Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, let it cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight, before serving.