pat's Recipe

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Praline Topping

Category: Cheesecake

one 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (1 3/4 cups)
8 whole graham crackers, broken
1/2 cup pecans
1 Tbsp light brown sugar
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted, plus more
for greasing the pan
1 1/2 cups cream cheese (14 oz) at room temp
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground all-spice
5 large eggs, at room temp
1 cup heavy cream, at room temp
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pecan Praline topping (recipe follows)

Set a rack over a baking sheet and line the rack with 2 layers of paper towels. Spread the pumpkin puree over the paper towels and let drain for 2 hours, until the puree is fairly dry.
Preheat the oven to 500. Butter the bottom and side of a 9-inch springform pan. In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until finely ground. Add the pecans and brown sugar and pulse until finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse until just incorporated. Press the crumbs onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for about 8 minuted, just until it is fragrant and lightly browned.
Cool Completely.
In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the cream cheese until it is very smooth. In a small bowl, whisk the sugar with the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. With the machine on, add the spiced sugar to the cream cheese and beat until creamy, scraping the bottom and side of the bowl. Carefully add the drained pumpkin puree and beat until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl between each addition, Beat in the heavy cream. lemon juice and vanilla until the cheesecake mixture is smooth.
Pour the cheesecake mixture over the cooled crust and bake for 12 minutes. Lower the oven temp to 225 and bake the cheesecake for about 3 hours until an instand-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 150; the center will be very jiggly but not liquidy. Let the cheesecake cool on a rack, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Run a hot knife around the cheesecake and loosen the springform ring. Carefully remove the ring and transfer the cake to a plate. Using a warm knife, cut the cake into wedges and serve with the Pecan Praline Topping.
make ahead: the cheesecake can be refrigetated for up to 3 days.

12 servings

Pecan Praline Topping

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups pecans

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large saucepan, combine the butter and brown sugar and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream and salt and bring to a boil. Simmer just until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Let the caramel cool.
Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for about 8 minutes, until they are lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer the pecans to a work surface and let them cool. Coarsely chop the nuts, stir them into the cooled caramel and serve.
make ahead: the topping can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. Rewarm slightly before serving.

makes 3 cups