Pumpkin-Pecan Cheesecake

This Thanksgiving dessert recipe comes from Southern Living. I made this cheesecake two years ago for Thanksgiving and it was a big success! It is worth the long, timely process! I have made a few tweaks to the original recipe...

Ginger Snap Crust:

1.5 c ginger snap crumbs (took about 25 ginger snaps)

1/2 c graham cracker crumbs

1/3 c finely chopped pecans

5 T butter, melted

3 T light brown sugar

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling:

4 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1 c granulated sugar

1 t vanilla extract

4 eggs

1.5 c canned pumpkin

Praline Topping:

1 c firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 c whipping cream

1/4 c butter

1 c powdered sugar, sifted

1 t vanilla extract

Glazed Pecan Garnish:

1/4 c dark corn syrup

2 T sugar

2 c pecans


Preparation Crust:

Preheat oven to 325°. Stir together ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Press mixture on bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.


Preparation Cheesecake Filling:

Beat cream cheese and next 2 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until blended and smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add pumpkin, beating until blended. Pour batter into prepared crust. (Pan will be very full.)

Bake at 325° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until almost set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven, with door closed, 15 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. (Do not remove sides of pan.) Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.

Remove the sides of the pan and transfer to a serving dish.

Preparation Praline Topping:

1. Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Boil, stirring occasionally, 1 minute; remove from heat. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Let stand 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Pour immediately on top of cheesecake.

Preparation Glazed Pecan Garnish:

Mix the corn syrup and sugar together, add in pecans. Mix until all the pecans are coated. Prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Spread pecans evenly on cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for about 15 minutes or until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken. Remove from oven and allow pecans to cool completely. Place pecans around the edges of the cheesecake and on the sides for garnish. 

Happy Thanksgiving y'all!

Cinderella Cheesecake

Today's recipe comes from October's Southern Living. I didn't even have to read the ingredients in order to want to make this, the picture spoke for itself. I mean, what's better than the chocolate peanut butter combination??? This cheese cake has a brownie crust and a creamy peanut butter cheesecake filling, it's absolutely divine!

Ingredients:

• Brownie Crust
• 3 (1-oz.) unsweetened chocolate baking squares
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour 
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1/2 (1-oz.) bittersweet chocolate baking square, finely chopped
• Cheesecake Filling and Topping
• 1 1/2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened 
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs 
• 1/2 cup sour cream 
• 1 1/3 cups creamy peanut butter 
• 
  
• Sour Cream Topping
• 3/4 c sour cream
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 
  
• Chocolate curls for garnish

Preparation

1. 1. Prepare Brownie Crust: Preheat oven to 350°. Microwave first 2 ingredients in a small microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM for 1 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring at 30-second intervals. 
2. 2. Stir together flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.
3. 3. Beat 2 eggs and 1 cup brown sugar at medium-high speed with an electric mixer 3 to 4 minutes or until batter forms thin ribbons when beaters are lifted. Add vanilla, bittersweet chocolate, and melted chocolate mixture, and beat just until blended. Stir in flour mixture just until combined.
4. 4. Spread 1 cup brownie mixture on bottom of a greased and floured 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350° on center oven rack 13 to 15 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes; freeze 15 minutes. Remove from freezer; spread remaining brownie batter up sides of pan to 1/4 inch from top, sealing batter to bottom crust.
5. 5. Prepare Filling: Beat cream cheese and 1 cup brown sugar at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until blended. Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Beat in sour cream just until blended. Beat in peanut butter until blended.
6. 6. Pour filling into prepared crust. (Mixture will not completely fill crust.) Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until center is almost set.
7. 7. Remove from oven. Spread Sour Cream Topping over center of cheesecake, leaving a 2-inch border around edge. Bake at 350° for 1 more minute. Remove from oven; gently run a knife around edge of cheesecake to loosen. Cool completely on a wire rack.
8. 8. Cover and chill 8 to 12 hours. Remove sides of pan. Top with chocolate curls.

***I am a JIF snob, so I used JIF creamy PB to make this recipe