Dulce de Leche Cheesecake with Nectarines

The first dessert I learned to make was cheesecake. I was in junior high school, dropped out of sewing class after the first week, and ended up in a cooking class! Cheesecake was an unfamiliar food to me, but I could name all the different breads and pastries sold In the Mexican bakery, ha ha... probably still could. After making the cheesecake for my family, my Papa wanted me to make it once a week! Yes, that got real old, real quick, with my Mom, lol! I say all in moderation keeps me happy.

Ingredients:
8 ounce cream cheese, at room temperature
1- 13.4 ounce can of "La Lechera" brand dulce de leche
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 nectarine, cut into slices
5 ounces of orange flavored wafer cookies
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
14x4 tart pan with removable bottom

I love to fuse recipes I know and add a little Latin flavor to them!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a food processor, combine the cookies and pine nuts. Pulse a few times, then process on high for 20 to 30 seconds until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl, add in melted butter and mix with a wooden spoon. Transfer the mixture to tart pan and form the crust using you hands an making sure you go up the sides of pan 3/4's of the way. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
2. While crust is baking, combine all of the ingredients for filling inside of the blender, pulse, then blend on high until smooth and well incorporated. In between blendings, use a silcone spatula to push mixture off the sides of the blender. I found it easier to blend if you slightly warm the dulce de leche and break the cream cheese into smaller chunks.
3. Add the filling to the tart pan only filling 3/4 of the way up. Gently lay you nectarine slices on top of batter. Transfer tart pan to a cookie sheet and bake for 55 minutes in preheated oven. Remove form oven and let cool completely before removing from tart pan. Top with whipped cream and a drizzle of dulce de leche. Yields 6 servings.

Note: If you have a little filling left, pour into 1 or 2 ramekins and bake along with cheesecake. If you cannot find the flavored wafer cookies, you could use graham crackers or Maria cookies.

Specialty pans are fun, but this can most certainly be made in a regular pan or with a premade crust. 

Topped with whipped cream...

Other recipes by Sonia:

Mexican Red Rice
Annatto-Citrus Marinated Chicken
Chile Relleno with Serrano Shrimp
Crab Cakes with Habanero Slaw
Cheesy Chorizo Bread
Flank Steak Tacos
Frijoles Borrachos con Chorizo
Buffalo Chicken Flautas
Chile Garlic Shrimp Kabobs
Avocado Fries
Chicken Enchilada Soup with Chayotes
Dulce de Leche and Chocolate Chip Chimichangas


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