Nilla praline cheesecake

By Caren

Ingredients

• 66 NILLA Wafers, divided
• 1-1/4 cups sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine or butter, melted
• 3 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 25 KRAFT Caramels
• 3 Tbsp. milk
• 1/2 cup PLANTERS Pecan Pieces, toasted

Preparation

Step 1

HEAT oven to 325°F. Finely crush 50 wafers; mix with 1/4 cup sugar and margarine. Press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Stand remaining wafers around edge, pressing gently into crust to secure.
BEAT cream cheese and remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.

BAKE 45 to 50 min. or until center is almost set. Run small knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours. Microwave caramels and milk on HIGH 1 min. or until caramels are completely melted, stirring every 30 sec. Cool slightly. Pour over cheesecake; top with nuts.