Pumpkin Cheesecake with Sour Cream Bourbon Topping
Preheat oven to 250
For the Crust
¾ Cup Gingersnaps crumbs
½ Cup pecans or walnuts – finely ground – about 2 oz.
½ Cup packed Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Place Gingersnaps in food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add nuts and brown sugar- pulse until mixed. With machine running add butter. Stop machine as soon as all of the butter has been added. Pour the mixture into a greased 9’ spring form pan. Use a one cup metal measuring cup and pat the mixture down and up the sides. You can use the side of the measuring cup to form the sides of the crust. Chill the crust for at least one hour.
Filling
Have all ingredients at room temperature.
3 eggs
½ cup dark brown sugar – packed
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 Tablespoons of heavy cream
1 Jar Muirhead Pumpkin Butter (this is the secret!)
Beat eggs until they are light and lemon colored. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside.
3 8 oz. packages of cream cheese – at room temp!
½ Cup white sugar
1 teaspoon Saigon Cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground Ginger
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
Fresh grated nutmeg to taste
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese until it is soft. Scrap down the bowl and paddle to ensure that no small lumps remain before adding any other ingredient. Add the sugar and mix until the sugar is absorbed, then add the rest and combine. Once this mixture is combined slowly add the pumpkin mixture on low speed. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again. Take crust out and place on a sheet pan. Pour the filing into the prepared crust and grate fresh nutmeg over the top – about ½ teaspoon. Bake for 50 – 55 minutes. The center should be just barely set. Take the cheesecake out put on a wire rack for 10 minutes to cool slightly while you prepare the topping before finishing the baking.
Topping
2 cups sour cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon of Bourbon
Return to the oven for 5 - - 7 minutes. Turn oven off and open door. Let cheesecake cool for an hour in the oven. Then take the cheesecake out and cool to room temperature. Cover the cheese cake in the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Take out an hour before serving so it can warm up. Cheesecake is best served when it is not ice cold. This cake can be refrigerated for up to three days – if it lasts that long!
