Tootsie Roll Cheesecake

Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups Graham cracker crumbs
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 32 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup dairy sour cream
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces Tootsie Rolls
• 1/3 cup whipping cream

Instructions

1. Lightly butter a 10-inch round, 2-inch deep cake pan (do not use springform pan as the batter is too thin).
2. Combine Graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup of sugar and the butter; mix well.
3. Press crumb mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan.
4. Beat cream cheese with remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar until smooth, scraping sides of bowl often.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Add sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla extract, beating well until smooth.
7. Melt Tootsie Rolls in top of a double boiler; stir in cream, then add to cream cheese mixture, mixing well. Pour over crust.
8. Place cake pan in another large, deep pan; pour water around cake pan to a depth of about 1 1/2 inches.
9. Bake in a 300 degree F oven for about 2 hours or until center is set and a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean.
10. Cool, then chill for several hours or overnight.
11. To remove from pan, heat outside of pan slightly and cake will drop out. Re-invert onto serving platter.