Pumpkin Cheesecake

This cake/pie is exactly what would happen if cheesecake and pumpkin pie got together and had a kid.  It’s DELICIOUS.  This is definitely more of a cheesecake than a pumpkin pie and it has to be treated as such.  Although the recipe directions don’t mention anything about a water bath I would highly recommend using one.  For those of you that don’t know a water bath is, it’s when you bake the cheesecake in the oven inside of an extra pan filled with water (about ½ way up the cheesecake pan).  This method helps to keep moisture in the air of the oven, provides for a more gentle heat and helps the cheesecake bake evenly.  If you do not use a water bath the most common problem is that the outside of your cheesecake bakes faster than the inside which is the #1 cause for cracking and drooping.  The only issue you may face with the water bath is that water seeps in and makes your crust soggy (which is exactly what happened to me).  The good news is that it usually dries out and all is ok. 




1^st things 1^st…make the crust.  This recipe has a gingersnap crust (of course I used Sweetzel’s gingersnaps) and the original recipe called for hazelnuts but I decided that pecans would be better so that’s what I used.  Dont forget to butter and flour your pan (its very important in this case).  After you grind your ingredients, pres them into your prepared pan. 

                                                                                                   

The next step is to mix your batter until smooth and pour over crust.

 

Now your ready to set up your water bath.  I find that it is much easier to place the pan the water is going into (with the cheesecake inside of it) in the oven before adding the water.  As you can see see I wrapped the pan in foil before I even poured the batter in.

Let this bake for about an hour and a half.  It is hard to tell when a cheesecake is done.  I always check to see if the center is set and usually give the pan a shake.  If the cheesecake uniformly wobbles it should be set all the way through.  The key is to refridgerate overnight.

The most difficult part of this whole process (for me at least) is removing the cheesecake from its pan.  Honestly, I have no good tricks for you....aside from keep your fingers crossed and say a quick prayer.  I made it all the way through the baking process without any cracks until I went to remove it from its pan.  Luckily, I have some tricks up my sleeve and covered the cracks with candied pecans.

Enjoy!

1 1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs

3/4 cup ground pecans

3 tablespoons brown sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups canned solid pack pumpkin

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

4 eggs

1.       Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch springform   pan.

2.       Using a fork, combine gingersnaps, pecans, 3 tablespoons brown sugar and melted butter. Press mixture onto the bottom and two inches up the sides of the pan to form the crust.

3.       With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the pumpkin. Mix in the cream, maple syrup, cinnamon, allspice and vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until smooth.

4.       Pour batter into prepared crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes, or until center of cheesecake is set. Allow to cool in pan for 30 minutes, then refrigerate overnight.