Spirited pumpkin cheesecake

 
                        SPIRITED PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE
 
 Recipe By     : 
 Serving Size  : 10   Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Cheesecakes                      Nuts
                 Vegetables
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
                         -----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
  
 
 
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