Pumpkin Cheesecake

Delectable Pumpkin Cheesecake with Biscoff crumb crust

Desserts are so much apart of the holiday season, and for me that’s just fine!! I adore just about any dessert but, cheesecake is my all time favorite!  I don’t care whether it’s a traditional NY cheesecake, or a rich chocolate version. If it incorporates liqueur such as Amaretto, Baileys or Frangelica I’ll take it!!  With crust or without, cheesecake is seductive and sensuous!  Every creamy, rich mouthful becomes an addiction!  This year, for Thanksgiving, I made a Pumpkin Cheesecake.  I needed to redeem myself. Last year, after following the recipe to a tee, it was not baked all the way through. It did firm up after a few days in the fridge but, that was too late for my Thanksgiving guests!  It was my first ever cheesecake failure.  So, this Thanksgiving I had to give it another try. I don’t handle failure very well.  This year I changed the oven temperature and I baked it longer! Viola, it was perfect and absolutely
delicious!

I used Biscoff biscuits for the crust…yummy!

Crust pressed into 10 inch springform pan

Batter ready for pan

Springform pan wrapped in foil and placed in larger pan for waterbath

I baked this cheesecake for 1 hour in a 350〫oven….Here it is just out of the oven

Oh how I love cheesecake….any kind of cheesecake

Creamy, rich, seductive….oh my!

Pumpkin Cheesecake
adapted from Baking 911

INGREDIENTS
Crust:
2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs; I used Biscoff biscuits for my crust  
¼  cup granulated sugar…I omitted the sugar, the cookies were sweet enough
½  cup finely ground toasted pecans 
½  cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Cheesecake:
3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1½  tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg
¼  tsp ground cloves
2 pounds (four 8 ounce packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
¾  cup granulated sugar
¼  cup packed light brown sugar
1 15 ounce can (1 3/4 cups) solid pack pumpkin; do not use pumpkin pie filling
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks

Use a springform pan, a 9- or 10-inch. To prevent water leaking in from the waterbath,  wrap springform pan in aluminum foil and place in a larger pan to be used for the waterbath.  

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Position an oven rack in the middle. Place a larger pan, to be used as a waterbath, on the shelf and preheat the oven to 350°F. Water should come about 2 inches up the side of pan

2. Mix the crumbs, sugar and nuts in a the cheesecake pan. Slowly pour the melted butter over the crumb mixture and stir until it begins to hold together when you squeeze some between your fingertips. Press the mixture into the bottom of the buttered pan and up the sides of the pan. Tap down with the bottom and sides with a metal measuring cup. Set aside in the refrigerator and prepare the filling.

3. In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese on low, until smooth. Scrape the bowl and with the mixer on low, add the sugars, and beat until smooth. Scrape the bowl. With the mixer on low, add the pumpkin puree, and the spices.  
With the mixer on low, add the eggs and yolks, one at a time, until completely mixed after each one. Stop the mixer and remove the bowl. Give the mixture a few good folds with a spatula.  

5. Gently scrape the filling into the prepared crust. Tap the pan on its side with the handle of a wooden spoon about a dozen times to get rid of any large air bubbles. Smooth the top.

6. Place the pan with the cheesecake mixture into the larger pan set in the oven. Use a pitcher and fill the larger one with hot water, halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan.

7. Bake the cake for 1 hour. It's done when the cake is firm around the edges and slightly jiggles in the center. 

When done, remove the cake from the oven, and carefully from the water bath. 


Set cake on a wire rack for 1 to 2 hours to cool. Cover with plastic wrap and chill it for at least 12 hours, preferably 24 hours before serving. This cheesecake can be frozen.