Praline Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1-½	cups crushed vanilla wafers (about 45 wafers)
¼	cup sugar
¼	cup butter, melted
16	whole vanilla wafers
FILLING:
3	packages (8 ounces each) Cream Cheese, softened
1	cup sugar
½	cup sour cream
1	teaspoon vanilla extract
3	eggs, lightly beaten
TOPPING:
25	caramels
2	tablespoons milk
½	cup chopped pecans, toasted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°. In a small bowl, mix wafer crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Arrange whole wafers, rounded sides out, along sides of pan, pressing lightly into crumbs. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake 55-60 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight, covering after completely cooled. In a microwave, melt caramels with milk; stir until smooth. Remove rim from pan. Drizzle cheesecake with caramel mixture; sprinkle with pecans. Yield: 12 servings.

SOURCE: Taste of Home