Holiday Cheesecake

I know Thanksgiving is over but I thought I would share a recipe for a very delicious cheesecake I made. I know some people still like to make pumpkin type things through the Holiday season so I thought it was worth sharing.

Pumpkin Cheesecake:

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Servings: 12









Ingredients:

Crust:
2 cup Graham Crackers Crumbs
2 Tb. Sugar
4 Tb. Butter, melted

Filling:
 2.5 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/3 cup White Sugar
1 (16 ounce) can  of Pumpkin
1 1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Clove
1/2 tsp ground Ginger
1/2 tsp. ground Nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Flour
3 eggs

Topping:
1 Cup Sour Cream
2 Tb. White Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Cloves
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1 splash of Grand Marnier

Directions:

1. Combine crust ingredients and press into the bottom and onto the sides of a 8'' round 4" deep pan. You may also use a 9" spring form pan if you like, doing the side crust is optional for springform. Chill.

2. Filling: Beat the softened Cream Cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl or you can use a 5-6qt KitchenAid, scrape the sides a few times as well as the paddle to make sure there aren't any lumps. Next add in your pumpkin, spices and salt. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each and then add the flour last. Scrape the sides again just to make sure you have everything nicely incorporated and then pour into your crust.

3. Bake at 325f for 1 hour and 10 minutes. When you pull it out, let it rest on the table for 10-15 minutes and then if using a regular baking pan, carefully run a small knife around the edge of the pan to unstick the crust. Cover with foil and put in the freezer overnight.

4 To remove from pan. Run your small knife around the pan once more.If you have a spring form it should release fairly easily but i f using a regular pan, invert it onto a plate or small cutting board that you can easily move and flip. Using a kitchen torch, warm the bottom of the pan lightly to unstick the bottom crust. You should hear it drop to the plate or board. If you do not have a kitchen torch you can just soak the pan in a bowl or sink with shallow hot water and then invert. If you will not be doing the Sour Cream topping go ahead and put it on your serving plate and garnish.

5 Topping: You'll want to set your cheesecake onto a baking sheet pan because we will be baking the topping at 325f for about 8 minutes to set it. Mix all of your ingredients for the topping together and then pour it onto your cheesecake. Using a offset icing spatula spread the topping out to the edges, trying to get it as level as possible. Bake.

Garnish: Once its done baking you can immediately put it on its plate and add dried Cranberries and Almond slivers like I did or use Pecan halves, Walnut halves or whatever you like.

I hope you like this as much as we did.

Happy Holidays!