The Lover’s Cheesecake Recipe

By Tammie Hughes

Ingredients

Shortcut Crust 

• 1 Pre-made Graham Cracker Crust 
• 3 Tb. Dark Brown Sugar 
• 1 Pat of Butter 
• ¼ c. Chopped Pecans 
• ½ c. Fig Preserves 

Filling 

• 2 (8 oz.) Blocks Cream Cheese, Softened 
• 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract 
• 1 c. White Granulated Sugar 
• 1 8 oz. Container of Thawed Cool Whip® 

Topping 

• Chocolate and Honey Drizzle 
• Fresh Strawberry Slices 
• Sliced Dried Turkish Figs, Optional 

Instructions

For the shortcut crust, use a pre-made graham cracker crust. Combine a pat of butter with the brown sugar and warm in the microwave for 20 seconds; stir until smooth. Add the chopped pecans and the fig preserves; blend together by hand. Spread this mixture onto the ready-made pie crust and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour. 

For the filling, blend the softened cream cheese blocks with the granulated sugar, using a hand or stand mixer, until smooth. Add the vanilla, mix well, and then fold in the thawed Cool Whip®. Add the filling to the chilled crust and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. 

For the topping, melt ½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave for 45 seconds, stirring, and repeating at 10-second intervals until smooth. Add 3 Tb. honey and blend well. Drizzle the chocolate-honey combination over the cheesecake and add fresh strawberry and Turkish fig slices for garnish.