Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 package (14 ounces) caramels

1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk

1 1/4 cups chopped pecans, divided

1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup milk

1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix

1/2 cup fudge topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Create a homemade chocolate crumb piecrust by mixing cookie crumbs and butter. Press into a 9" pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes.

Place caramels and evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring continually, until smooth,. Stir in 1 cup chopped pecans. Pour into piecrust.

Combine cream cheese, sour cream and milk in a blender. Process until smooth. Add pudding mix; process for about 30 seconds longer.

Pour pudding mixture over caramel layer, covering evenly. Chill, loosely covered, until set, for about 15 minutes. Drizzle fudge topping over pudding layer in a decorative pattern. Sprinkle top of cake with remaining pecans. Chill, loosely covered, until serving time.