Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

My wife found this recipe while leafing through a magazine and wanted me to make it for a party she was having at her work. Well, I made it and it was a big success, so "The Boss" decided that we would add it to our Thanksgiving menu. This will be one of two desserts we will be making and I think it will be a great addition to the table.



What you need...

• Ginger Snaps... About 38. When finely chopped, you should end up with about 1-½ cups


• Pecans... ¼ cup; finely chopped


• Butter (unsalted, please)... ¼ cup (which is 4 Tbsp), melted


• Cream Cheese... 4 pkg. (8 oz. each), softened


• Sugar... 1 cup


• Pumpkin... 1 can (15 oz.)


• Pumpkin pie spice... 1 Tbsp.(bulk recipe at end of page)


• Vanilla... 1 tsp


• Eggs... 4


• 9-inch springform pan


• Large baking pan that your springform pan can fit into


• Parchment paper

Putting it together...

• Take your springform pan and grease bottoms and sides


• Line the bottom and sides with parchment paper


• Grease parchment paper


• Finely chop you ginger snaps and place in a bowl


• Add the pecans and mix well


• Melt the butter, add to the ginger snaps, mix thoroughly, and place in springform pan


• Press onto the bottom and about 1-inch up the sides


• Place pan on some aluminum foil and wrap around the bottom (to prevent leakage from the water bath)


• Set in refrigerator while you make the cheesecake


• Pre-heat oven to 325°


• In a large bowl, place cream cheese and sugar and beat until well mixed


• Add pumpkin, pumpkin spice, and vanilla. Mix well


• Switch mixer to low speed and add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each until just blended


• Pour into springform pan


• Place pan in baking dish and place in oven


• Add about water to the baking dish (this is the water bath which will add moisture and help prevent cracking your masterpiece)


• Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes until the center is just about set




Here's a few ways to tell when your cheesecake is done cooking
• Internal temperature is 175 degrees (taken at center of pie)


• When you tap the side of the cheesecake pan with a handle of a spoon, the whole top will move like one semi solid piece, with the center (about 1 to 2-inches in circumference) being a little more wobbly than the edges


• You touch the top of the cheesecake lightly with the flat of your hand, it will be firm¹


• Once done, remove from oven and take a knife and carefully run it around the sides to loosen the cake from the pan


• Once cake is completely cooled, you can remove the side of the pan


• Okay, here's the hardest part: Refrigerate for at least four hours before service

Here's a photo of the finished product. You can notice the parchment paper along the edges...



Here's an interior shot of what it looks like. Because the one I made went to my wife's work and didn't return, I had to go and find one...


courtesy of... cookingandblogging.com

Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe...

• Ground cinnamon... 4 Tbsp


• Ground nutmeg... 4 tsp


• Ground ginger... 4 tsp


• Ground allspice... 3 tsp


• Add each to a jar and mix well. Use one Tablespoon of this mixture in this recipe

¹ Information courtesy of... baking911.com

As I mentioned earlier, this Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe was found in a magazine. However, after doing some searching, I was able to find it on the Internet. To view the original recipe, go to kraftrecipes.com