COZY UP TO COMFORT

Soothe the soul one bite at a time with feel-good homestyle staples

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DULCE DE LECHE CHEESECAKE

I'm originally from Paraguay, and dulce de leche reminds me of where I came from. If you can't find it at your grocery store, try caramel ice cream topping instead. It tastes different, but this decadent dessert will still be amazing. -Sonia Lipham, Ranburne, AL

Prep: 40 min. • Bake: 1 hour + chilling • Makes: 16 servings

1¾ cups crushed gingersnap cookies (about 35 cookies)

¼ cup finely chopped walnuts

1 Tbsp. sugar

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

6 Tbsp. butter, melted

FILLING

3 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar

¼ cup 2% milk

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 can (13.4 oz.) dulce de leche

TOPPINGS

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ tsp. chili powder

½ cup dulce de leche

2 to 3 Tbsp. hot water

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. In a large bowl, combine cookie crumbs, walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and butter. Press onto the bottom and 2 in. up the side of prepared pan.

2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in milk, flour and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into crust.

3. Pour dulce de leche into a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at 50% power until softened. Drop dulce de leche by tablespoonfuls over batter; cut through batter with a knife to swirl.

4. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. hot water to larger pan. Bake 60-70 minutes or until the center is just set and top appears dull.

5. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour.