Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake  Ingredients:       For crust    3/4 cup  graham cracker crumbs (from five 4 3/4- by 2 1/4-inch crackers)       1/2 cup  pecans (1 3/4 ounce), finely chopped    1/4 cup  packed light brown sugar       1/4 cup  granulated sugar    1/2 stick  (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled       For filling    1 1/2 cups  canned solid-pack pumpkin       3 large eggs    1/2 cup packed light brown sugar       2 tablespoons  heavy cream    1 teaspoon  vanilla       1 tablespoon  bourbon liqueur or bourbon (optional)    1/2 cup  granulated sugar       1 tablespoon  cornstarch    1 1/2 teaspoons  cinnamon       1/2 teaspoon  freshly grated nutmeg    1/2 teaspoon  ground ginger       1/2 teaspoon  salt    3 (8 ounce) packages  cream cheese, at room temperature       For topping    2 cups  sour cream (20 ounces)       2 tablespoons  granulated sugar    1 tablespoon  bourbon liqueur or bourbon (optional)       Garnish: pecan halves, strawberries, or another fruit

Preparation:

Make crust: Invert bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (to create flat bottom, which will make it easier to remove cake from pan), then lock on side and butter pan. Stir together crumbs, pecans, sugars, and butter in a bowl until combined well. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of pan, then chill crust, 1 hour. Make filling and bake cheesecake: Put oven rack in middle position and Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and liqueur (if using) in a bowl until combined. Stir together granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in large bowl. Add cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, then add pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth. Pour filling into crust, smoothing top, then put springform pan in a shallow baking pan (in case springform leaks). Bake until center is just set, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool 5 minutes. (Leave oven on.) Make topping: Whisk together sour cream, sugar, and liqueur (if using) in a bowl, then spread on top of cheesecake and bake 5 additional minutes. Cool cheesecake completely in pan on rack, about 3 hours. Chill, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours. Remove side of pan and bring to room temperature before serving.

Comments:

Do ahead: Baked cheesecake can be chilled, covered, up to 2 days. Adapted from Gourmet, November 2003

Categories:  Baked Goods, Baked goods, Cakes, Desert, Dessert, Desserts, dessert, desserts

Estimated Serving:  14

Estimated preparation time:  25 min.

Language:  English

Shared by:  Jilly    2010/02/06