Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake (The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather)
Ginger Crust:
- 2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies (about 40 cookies)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 375° F.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat for another minute until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each addition. Add the vanilla, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger; beat for another minute or two until incorporated.
Pour into the crust. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 250 degrees F (don't remove the cheesecake from the oven). Continue baking for another 50 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and place it on a large serving plate.
For the praline topping: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them for 7-9 minutes, until golden brown. Coarsely chop the nuts. Stir together the brown sugar, cream, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Boil the mixture for about 1 1/2 minutes, adjusting the heat to make sure it does not boil over. Do not stir. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla, salt, and pecans. Cool the topping for at least 15 minutes before pouring over the top of the chilled cheesecake. Serve now or cover and chill until ready to serve. The cheesecake will keep, well wrapped in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
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