Ultimate Pumpkin Cheesecake

 

Why do I call this the ultimate?  Well it is the culmination of a few different recipes and refinement to create a light, ethereally fluffy cheesecake.  Not some leaden bomb, just perfectly soft and airy.  Using brown sugar in the filling adds to the depth of flavor of the pumpkin.  It is the perfect accompaniment and grand finale to a Holiday dessert table. 

Ingredients/Equipment

10 inch spring form pan

large roaster

boiling water

aluminum foil

Crust 

• 14 oz gingersnap cookie crumbs 
• 1 heaping T brown sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 c melted butter

Filling

• 4, 8 oz packages cream cheese
• 1/4 c sour cream
• 1 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1 c granulated sugar
• 6 eggs - lightly beaten
• 1 15 oz  can pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 T vanilla
• 1 heaping T pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 t kosher salt

Method

Preheat oven to 350F. Wrap bottom and outside of springform pan tightly so when you do water bath water does not leak into the cheesecake mixture.

Break up cookies and put into a food processor.  Add brown sugar and pinch of salt.  Pulse until you have fine crumbs the size of sand.  Pulse and pour in melted butter until thoroughly moistened. Pour crumb mixture into springform pan and press evenly across bottom and an inch or so up the sides of the pan.

Place crumb mixture into preheated oven and bake 12-15 minutes until golden and aromatic.  Remove from oven and cool.  

For the filling make sure cream cheese and eggs are room temperature. DO NOT use straight from fridge as they will not mix well.

Place cream cheese, sour cream, sugars, salt, and vanilla to stand mixer.  Start at low speed and work to medium speed.  Beat on medium 3-4 minutes until thoroughly creamed and mixture is light an fluffy. You will need to use spatula to scrape down sides a few times. 

Reduce speed to low.  Add pumpkin pie spice.  With mixer running spoon pumpkin into cream cheese mixture allowing each addition to be be incorporated.  Scrape down the sides a few times to ensure all of the pumpkin is incorporated evenly.

Increase speed to medium and beat in eggs a little at a time until incorporated. 

Place foil covered pan into a large roasting pan.  Pour filling over the crust.  The filling will come nearly to the top of the pan but it won't overflow while baking.

Drop heat to 325F.  Place roaster with the cheesecake into the oven. Add boiling water until it comes up to top of foil, about 1 1/2 to 2 inches up the side of the pan.  ITs important not to skip this step as it will promote even baking with the steam keeping the top for drying out an cracking.  Add boiling water as needed during baking.  This set up is called a bain marie.

Bake 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.  When done it will have a slight wobble in the center and a toothpick will come out clean.   

Remove from oven and let cool slowly to room temperature.  When cooled remove from pan and place on serving plate.  Wrap carefully in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator at least 12 hours or overnight.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and maybe even a drizzle of caramel sauce and a sprinkle of toffee bits for some crunch.