Pumpkin Cheesecake With Pecan Crust And Whiskey Caramel Topping Recipes

CARAMEL PECAN PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.

PUMPKIN-PECAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make praline:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheet with foil. Stir sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar melts and mixture comes to boil; boil 1 minute without stirring. Mix in pecans. Spread mixture on prepared baking sheet. Bake until sugar syrup bubbles vigorously, about 8 minutes. Cool praline completely. Break into pieces. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight.)
• Make crust:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Stir cookie crumbs and cinnamon in medium bowl to blend. Add butter; stir until crumbs are moistened. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake crust until set, about 8 minutes. Cool. Double-wrap outside of pan with heavy-duty foil. Place in large roasting pan.
• Make filling:
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in flour and spices. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in pumpkin, bourbon and vanilla. Transfer to crust.
• Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to reach 1 inch up sides of springform pan. Bake cake in water bath until center is just set, adding more water to roasting pan as needed, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Remove cheesecake from water. Cool in pan on rack. Remove foil. Run small sharp knife between cake and pan sides. Chill until cold; then cover and chill overnight.
• Release pan sides. Place cake on platter. Sprinkle praline over, leaving 1-inch plain border at edge. Cut cake into wedges.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE WITH PECAN CRUST AND WHISKEY-CARAMEL TOPPING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan.
• To make the crust, in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse the 1 1/2 cups (150 g) pecans, light brown sugar, 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces/45 g) melted butter, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon until the nuts are in fine pieces and the mixture begins to hold together. Transfer the mixture to the prepared springform pan and press it evenly into the bottom and a little way up the sides. Bake until deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Wrap a large sheet of aluminum foil around the outside of the springform pan, making sure it's absolutely watertight. Set the pan in a large roasting pan.
• To make the filling, in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl by hand), beat together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and lemon zest on medium-low speed just until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, stopping the mixer and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until completely incorporated. Mix in the yogurt, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, large pinch of salt, and vanilla until combined.
• Scrape the filling into the crust in the pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan to reach halfway up the outside of the springform pan. Bake until the edges are just set and the center still quivers, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Remove the roasting pan from the oven and let the cheesecake stand in the water bath for 30 minutes. Dip the blade of a sharp knife in hot water and run it around the sides of the cheesecake to loosen it from the sides of the pan, then remove the cheesecake from the water bath. Let cool completely, then cover and refrigerate until chilled.
• To make the topping, in a medium saucepan, bring the 6 tablespoons (3 ounces/85 g) salted butter, the cream, dark brown sugar, corn syrup or agave nectar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a gentle but full boil stirring gently until the sugar dissolves. Cook for 2 minutes without stirring. Remove from the heat and stir in the whiskey and 1 1/2 cups (150 g) pecan pieces. Let cool to room temperature and stir in the lemon juice.
• Serve the cheesecake chilled or at room temperature. Cut into wedges and spoon topping over each serving.
• Storage
• The cheesecake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The topping should be made the day of serving; if chilled, it will lose its shine and will need to be rewarmed.

CARAMEL PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300°F. Wrap outside bottom and side of 9-inch springform pan with foil. Spray inside of pan with cooking spray. Mix crust ingredients; press in bottom and 1 inch up side of pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 10 minutes.
• In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in sugar. On low speed, beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Spoon 3 cups of the mixture onto crust; spread evenly. Add pumpkin and pie spice to remaining cream cheese mixture; mix with wire whisk until smooth. Spoon over mixture in pan.
• Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes or until edge is set but center still jiggles slightly. Turn oven off; open door 4 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake; carefully remove side of pan. Top with whipped topping and candied pecans. Drizzle with caramel topping.