Eli's Turtle Cheesecake

Eli Schulman’s Chicago deli became synonymous with blockbuster cheesecake, and the turtle version is one of the all-stars. The name comes from the candies of the same name, chocolate discs studded with pecans and caramel whose shell-and-legs profile resembles a turtle. Whole candies get folded into a dense cream cheese batter so every bite hits a pocket of chocolate, caramel, and nut.

The base goes in a springform pan, which is what lets you release a clean, unblemished side at serving time. The chocolate-wafer-and-walnut crust is pressed up the sides as well as the bottom. Taller crust walls mean the filling browns less on the edges and you get a more uniform texture throughout.

Baking at 325°F (165°C) is gentler than traditional cheesecake baking temperatures. The slower, cooler bake prevents the filling from cracking and keeps it dense and silky rather than custardy.

Pro Tips

• Let the cream cheese come to full room temperature before mixing. Cold cream cheese means lumps, and lumps don’t beat out no matter how long you run the mixer.
• Don’t overbeat after the eggs go in. Too much air in the batter causes the top to dome and then crack as it cools.
• Pull the cheesecake when the center still jiggles slightly. Residual heat finishes it during the cool-down, and a fully set center means overbaked.
• Chill overnight before cutting. Cheesecake tastes markedly better cold and the flavors marry deeply during the rest.

Variations

• Swap walnuts in the crust for pecans to double down on the turtle-candy nut profile.
• Drizzle the cooled cheesecake with caramel sauce and melted chocolate in lattice lines for classic turtle look.
• Use Oreo crumbs in place of chocolate wafers if you want a slightly sweeter, more cookies-and-cream base.