Pumpkin Cheesecake
Crust:
10 oz gingersnaps (about 1 3/4 cups crumbs)
3 Tbs light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 stick salted butter, melted and cooled
Filling:
1 1/2 cups solid pack pumpkin puree
3 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 Tbs heavy cream
1 Tbs cornstarch
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbs bourbon or amaretto if desired (optional)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
3, 8-oz packages cream cheese, cut into bits and softened
1/2 cup sugar
Topping:
2 cups sour cream
2 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs bourbon or amaretto (optional)
Grease a 9" spring-form pan and line it (bottom and sides) with parchment paper. Grease the paper as well. Criss-cross two or three large sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Set pan in the center and crimp the foil up the sides of the pan to form a waterproof barrier. Set aside. Place a cloth kitchen towel in the bottom of a large, deep roasting pan and set aside. Set the oven rack to the middle position.
Process the gingersnaps in a food processor until fully crumbed. Add sugar and cinnamon and pulse to combine. Pour mixture into a bowl and add the melted butter. Stir to combine and press into prepared pan, bringing mixture 1" up the sides of the pan and in an even layer on the bottom. Press firmly and then refrigerate for 1 hour to set.
Preheat oven to 350°F. While oven is preheating, bring 2 or so gallons of water to a boil on the stove.
In a medium sized bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cream, cornstarch, vanilla, bourbon or amaretto (if desired), cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Whisk well to combine.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth and combined, taking care not to whip air into the mix. Add the pumpkin mixture and beat on low speed until completely incorporated and the batter is smooth and free of any lumps of cream cheese.
Pour the batter into the prepared spring-form pan, smooth the top and tap it gently on the counter a couple of times to dislodge any air pockets. Set the pan into the prepared roasting pan and place it in the oven. When the pan is in place, slowly and gently pour the hot water into the roasting pan, taking care not to splash any water into the batter. Add enough boiling water to reach about half-way up the side of the spring-form pan. Gently slide the oven rack into the oven and bake for 50 - 55 minutes, until the center is just set.
Carefully remove the pan from the water bath and set on a rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove the roasting pan from the oven very carefully and set aside until the water has cooled.
While the cheesecake is cooling, whisk together the sour cream, sugar and bourbon or amaretto in a small bowl.
After 5 minutes of cooling time, gently spread the sour cream evenly over the top of the cheesecake using an offset spatula. Return the cake to the oven and bake it an additional 5 minutes.
Let the cheesecake cool in the pan on a rack until completely cool, then cover the pan with plastic wrap or foil and chill it in the refrigerator overnight.
When thoroughly chilled, release the spring-form pan and gently peel away the parchment on the sides of the cake. Slide a flat metal spatula gently beneath the cake to separate it from the parchment, and slide the cake onto a serving platter.
Garnish as desired, slice and serve. Store in the refrigerator.
Notes: For garnish, I sprinkled a ring of toffee bits (Heath Bits of Brickle, not the chocolate covered toffee bits) around the perimeter on top of the cake. Other ideas include a light dusting of ground cinnamon or nutmeg, drizzled strings of dulce de leche, or candied pecan halves.
10 oz gingersnaps (about 1 3/4 cups crumbs)
3 Tbs light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 stick salted butter, melted and cooled
Filling:
1 1/2 cups solid pack pumpkin puree
3 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 Tbs heavy cream
1 Tbs cornstarch
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbs bourbon or amaretto if desired (optional)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
3, 8-oz packages cream cheese, cut into bits and softened
1/2 cup sugar
Topping:
2 cups sour cream
2 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs bourbon or amaretto (optional)
Grease a 9" spring-form pan and line it (bottom and sides) with parchment paper. Grease the paper as well. Criss-cross two or three large sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Set pan in the center and crimp the foil up the sides of the pan to form a waterproof barrier. Set aside. Place a cloth kitchen towel in the bottom of a large, deep roasting pan and set aside. Set the oven rack to the middle position.
Process the gingersnaps in a food processor until fully crumbed. Add sugar and cinnamon and pulse to combine. Pour mixture into a bowl and add the melted butter. Stir to combine and press into prepared pan, bringing mixture 1" up the sides of the pan and in an even layer on the bottom. Press firmly and then refrigerate for 1 hour to set.
Preheat oven to 350°F. While oven is preheating, bring 2 or so gallons of water to a boil on the stove.
In a medium sized bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cream, cornstarch, vanilla, bourbon or amaretto (if desired), cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Whisk well to combine.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth and combined, taking care not to whip air into the mix. Add the pumpkin mixture and beat on low speed until completely incorporated and the batter is smooth and free of any lumps of cream cheese.
Pour the batter into the prepared spring-form pan, smooth the top and tap it gently on the counter a couple of times to dislodge any air pockets. Set the pan into the prepared roasting pan and place it in the oven. When the pan is in place, slowly and gently pour the hot water into the roasting pan, taking care not to splash any water into the batter. Add enough boiling water to reach about half-way up the side of the spring-form pan. Gently slide the oven rack into the oven and bake for 50 - 55 minutes, until the center is just set.
Carefully remove the pan from the water bath and set on a rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove the roasting pan from the oven very carefully and set aside until the water has cooled.
While the cheesecake is cooling, whisk together the sour cream, sugar and bourbon or amaretto in a small bowl.
After 5 minutes of cooling time, gently spread the sour cream evenly over the top of the cheesecake using an offset spatula. Return the cake to the oven and bake it an additional 5 minutes.
Let the cheesecake cool in the pan on a rack until completely cool, then cover the pan with plastic wrap or foil and chill it in the refrigerator overnight.
When thoroughly chilled, release the spring-form pan and gently peel away the parchment on the sides of the cake. Slide a flat metal spatula gently beneath the cake to separate it from the parchment, and slide the cake onto a serving platter.
Garnish as desired, slice and serve. Store in the refrigerator.
Notes: For garnish, I sprinkled a ring of toffee bits (Heath Bits of Brickle, not the chocolate covered toffee bits) around the perimeter on top of the cake. Other ideas include a light dusting of ground cinnamon or nutmeg, drizzled strings of dulce de leche, or candied pecan halves.
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