Praline Cheesecake

This is my Baba’s recipe that she adapted from a Better Homes and Gardens recipe from 1978.  It has always been a crowd pleaser, and it’s a great dessert for Thanksgiving.  

Ingredients for crust:
1¼ cups crushed graham crackers
¼  cup sugar
¼ cup chopped toasted pralines
¼ cup butter melted

Directions for crust:
In a small bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and chopped pecans.  Stir in the melted butter.  Press crumb mixture into the bottom and 1½ inches up the sides of a 9″ springform pan.  Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.

Ingredients for cake:
3 8oz. packages of softened cream cheese
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 5⅓ or ⅔ cup evaporated milk
2 Tablespoon flour 1½ teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup toasted pecan halves

Directions for cake:
Beat the cream cheese, 1 cup brown sugar, the evaporated milk, flour and vanilla.  Add eggs and beat until blended.  

Pour into baked crust and bake at 350° for 50 to 55 minutes.  Loosen sides and remove from pan.  Cool completely.  Arrange nut halves on top of cheesecake.  

Carmel Sauce:
1 cup dark corn syrup
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar 
1 teaspoon vanilla

Before serving, combine corn syrup, cornstarch and light brown sugar in a small saucepan.  Cook and sir until thickened and bubbly.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Cool slightly.  To serve, spoon some of the warm sauce over the nuts on the cheesecake.  Pass remaining sauce.