Spirited Pumpkin Cheesecake

* Exported from MasterCook *

SPIRITED PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cheesecakes Nuts
Vegetables

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
-----PECAN CRUST-----
1 tb Butter -- room temp
1 1/4 c Finely chopped pecans
1/4 c Fine dry bread crumbs
2 tb Sugar
2 tb Butter: melted & cooled
-----CHEESECAKE-----
2 1/4 lb Cream cheese -- room temp
1/4 c Brandy or cognac
3/4 c Cooked pumpkin -- pureed
1 1/2 c Lt brown sugar -- packed
1/3 c Sugar
1 1/2 ts Cinnamon
3/4 ts Ground ginger
1/4 ts Ground nutmeg
1/8 ts Ground cloves
1/8 ts Ground mace
3 Lg eggs -- room temp
2 Lg egg yolks -- room temp

Pecan Crust: Heat oven to 350, place rack in center.
Coat bottom and sides of 9" spring form pan evenly
with unmelted butter and set aside. Mix dry
ingredients in med. bowl. Drizzle melted butter over
dry mix and stir and toss to coat until slightly
darkened and uniform. Press crust evenly on sides and
bottom of pan and refrigerate 5 minutes. Bake until
crust is slightly dry, 8 - 10 minutes, cool on wire
rack to room temp.
Cheesecake: Cut cream cheese into 1" chunks, place in
large mixer bowl and beat at med speed until
completely smooth. Continue beating while slowly
adding brandy. Add pumpkin and mix well. Continue
beating while very slowly adding sugars, scraping
sides of bowl as needed. Beat until smooth, add
spices blend well. Beat whole eggs with the yolks in
small bowl at med speed until blended. Add eggs, about
1/4 c at a time to cheese mix, beating well and
scraping sides of bowl after each addition.
Pour batter into cooled Pecan Crust, spread top
smooth. Gently rotate pan several quarter-turns to
settle batter. Bake until sides of cake are well set
and center is just set, about 1 hour and 25 minutes.
Turn oven off. Let cake stand in oven with door
propped open 8" for 30 minutes. Place on wire rack
away from drafts, let cool undisturbed until sides and
bottom are completely cooled. Remove sides of pan and
refrigerate uncovered overnight or at least 8 hours.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until
serving time. from "

The Perfect Cheesecake" by editors of Consumer Guide



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