-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
From
Yields
10 Servings