Salted Dulce de Leche + Cheesecake = Heaven! These creamy, caramel-ly bars with a crumbly crust will definitely satisfy your sweet (and salty) tooth!
What is Dulce de Leche?
Dulce de Leche (which literally means a sweet made from milk in Spanish) is a milk-based caramel that is very popular throughout Latin America. There are some variations from region to region, but the most basic dulce de leche recipe calls for slowly heating sweet and condensed milk until thickened and caramel in color. Similarly, dulce de leche can be made by boiling an unopened can of sweet and condensed milk for 2 to 3 hours (or about 30-45 minutes in a pressure cooker—our mother’s go-to method!).
Dulce de Leche vs. Caramel
While dulce de leche and caramel have many similarities, there are a couple of important distinctions between them. Rather than heating milk at low heat, basic caramel—as illustrated in this flan recipe—is made from heating sugar at relatively high heat until it caramelizes. This basic caramel is then combined with other ingredients, such as cream, half and half, butter and/or vanilla extract, in order to make a caramel sauce.
Recipe for Heavenly Salted Dulce de Leche (Caramel) Cheesecake Bars
For the Crust:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 cup finely ground graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 cups finely ground shortbread cookies, preferably Lorna Doone brand (about 35 cookies)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling:
3 8-ounce packages of cream cheese (preferably Philadelphia brand) at room temperature
1 cup of sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 cup purchased dulce de leche
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
For the Glaze:
4 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream, plus more as necessary
1 cup purchased dulce de leche
Fleur de sel
- For the Crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray. In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, shortbread cookie crumbs and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and stir until the mixture is coated. Using your fingers, press the mixture evenly onto the bottom of the baking pan. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the crust is golden. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow to cool completely.
- For the Filling:
In a stand mixer or food processor blend the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy, stopping periodically to scrape down the sides of the bowl (about 2 minutes). Add the eggs one at a time and process in between each addition for about 5 seconds to blend. Add the dulce de leche and vanilla extract and process until blended (about 20 seconds). Spread the batter evenly over the cooled crust and bake for about 30 minutes or until just set in the center and the edges are puffed and slightly cracked. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow to cool completely.
- For the Glaze:
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm 4 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream (about 1 minute) and whisk in the dulce de leche until smooth and creamy. If the dulce de leche mixture is too thick to be poured, add additional cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, until a pourable consistency is reached. Pour the glaze over the cooled cheesecake and slightly tilt the pan from side to side and front to back until the glaze is spread evenly. Refrigerate to chill for at least 1 hour. To serve, cut the cheesecake lengthwise, wiping the knife in between, in 4 strips and then crosswise into 6 strips. Sprinkle each bar with fleur de sel to taste.
Make Ahead:
This recipe can be made 1 day ahead and stored in the refrigerator until serving.
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