Caramel-Chocolate Pie

• 1 12 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (about 25 wafers)
• 14 cup butter or 14 cup margarine, melted
• 30 caramels (I use Kraft)
• 2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine
• 2 tablespoons water
• 12 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
• 2 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (I use Neufchatel cheese)
• 13 cup powdered sugar
• 4 ounces sweet baking chocolate (such as Baker's German Chocolate)
• 3 tablespoons hot water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups heavy cream (or whipping)
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• chocolate curls, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix cookie crumbs and 1/4 cup butter.
3. Press firmly into a 9-inch pie plate (sides and bottom).
4. Bake for 10 minutes, then cool.
5. In a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt caramels, 2 tbs.
6. butter, and 2 tbs.
7. water, stirring frequently.
8. Continue until mixture is smooth.
9. Pour into baked crust.
10. Sprinkle with pecans (if using), and chill for about 1 hour.
11. Beat cream cheese and 1/3 cup powdered sugar until smooth.
12. Spread over cooled caramel layer, and return to fridge.
13. Heat chocolate and 3 tbs.
14. hot water over low heat in a heavy saucepan until chocolate is melted (don't ask me why it doesn't seize, I thought that too).
15. Cool to room temp.
16. Stir in vanilla.
17. Using a chilled bowl and beaters, whip cream with 2 tbs.
18. powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
19. Reserve 1 1/2 cups.
20. Fold chocolate mixture into remaining whipped cream, and spread over cream cheese layer.
21. Top with reserved whipped cream (I pipe it over the top with a bag and tip) and garnish with chocolate curls.
22. Refrigerate leftovers.
23. TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CURLS: use a vegetable peeler on a large chocolate bar over waxed paper.
24. Works better on room-temp or slightly warm chocolate.
25. Use a toothpick to place chocolate curls on pie.

vanilla wafer crumbs, butter, caramels, butter, water, pecans, cream cheese, powdered sugar, sweet baking chocolate, water, vanilla, heavy cream, powdered sugar, chocolate curls

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/caramel-chocolate-pie-63480 (may not work)