Preheat oven to 450 degrees

In a food processor, pulse cookies to crumbs. If you don’t have a food processor, I have also used 2 metal bowls and mashed the wafers/cookies by putting them in the big one a dozen at a time and crushing/grinding them. Or, why not get your kids involved and have them whack away at them in sealed plastic baggies. Combine cookie crumbs and butter in a medium bowl, stir well.

Pour into a greased 9 inch spring form pan. Use your fingers to evenly spread and mash down the crumbs.

In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add in vanilla, flour and eggs one at a time. Beat well. Blend in the cream. Pour the batter over the crust.

Bake 12 minutes at 450 degrees then lower oven temperature to 200 degrees for an additional 30-35 minutes or until set. (Cheesecake Center should wiggle a bit when removed from the oven.)

Once removed from the oven, cool for 10 minutes, and then gently go around the side of the pan with a butter knife to loosen any parts sticking. Loosen pan gently and remove rim. Cool and refrigerate. Cool for at least 2 hours before topping. Then refrigerate cheesecake for a minimum of 6 hours total prior to serving.

Melt chocolate in the microwave for 40-60 seconds depending on your microwave. (Start with 30 seconds…nothing worse than burnt chocolate) Stir until smooth.

Scrape chocolate into a small seal-able plastic bag, snip off a bit of one corner and squeeze chocolate across the cake…any pattern you want.

In a small saucepan heat the caramels and cream over medium heat stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat, let cool for a few minutes (melted caramel is hot!!) then do the same as the chocolate to squeeze onto the cake. Sprinkle pecans over cake.

*If you are taking the cake on the road…put the rim back on to protect it during transport.