Dessert: Pumpkin Spice Caramel Chocolate Cheesecake Pie

For a couple years, I've been trying to make a recipe similar to this one. The recipe I was making calls for a specific candy that I could not find except the one year I got it. I can find it online, but it looks like it's the same candy as has been there for a couple years and it is really expensive. However, I saw Ghirardelli makes Pumpkin Spice Caramel Squares and decided these might make a good substitute. These are available in stores in early November 2011. Hopefully Ghirardelli continues to make them so I can make this in future years. I make several cheesecakes. This one was rated as one of my best. Here's a couple of slices:

Ingredients:

2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
9-10 squares Pumpkin Spice Caramel Chocolate by Ghirardelli, + extra for decoration
1 tablespoon milk
1 graham cracker crumb crust (9” pie)
whipped topping


Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Set aside 1/4 cup batter; spread remaining batter in crust.
   
   
   
2. Remove wrappers from chocolates. Place 9-10 chocolate squares in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chocolates are melted and smooth when stirred. Gradually blend reserved cheesecake batter into melted chocolate. One teaspoon at a time, gradually blend milk into chocolate mixture. Pour chocolate mixture over the the vanilla batter already in the pie shell. You can try being decorative, but it ends up spreading over the entire thing. Gently swirl with a knife for marbled effect.
   
   
   
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from oven to wire rack; cool completely. Cover; refrigerate until chilled. Garnish with whipped cream and extra squares if so desired. 
   

Other Details:

• Makes 6 to 8 servings. 
• Nutrition is per slice for 8 slices.
• I found my Pumpkin Spice Caramel Squares in a Ghirardelli Limited Edition Holiday Chocolate Assortment with Eggnog and Peppermint Bark Squares (on clearance). I also saw a Ghirardelli collection of their different type of caramel squares that included the Pumpkin Spice in another store.
• The recipe calls for a packaged graham cracker crumb crust. I had Keebler Graham Cracker Crumbs on hand, and so made my pie crust according to package directions. You can use whatever graham cracker crumb crust you prefer.
• Original Recipe (Not quite original, it was modified by the site given.)
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