pat's Recipe

Carrot Cheesecake with Marzipan Carrots

Category: Cheesecake

CRUST:
2 ounces (1/2 cup) toasted pecans
8 graham crackers, finely ground (1 cup)
2 ounces (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

FOR THE CHEESECAKE:
1/2 ounce (1 Tbsp) unsalted butter
2 medium carrots, peeled, finely grated
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 pkgs (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
4 large eggs, room temp
1/2 tsp finely grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Petite Marcipan Carrots (recipe in here)
Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350. Pulse pecans in a food processor until finely ground. Place in a medium bowl with graham crackers, and stir in butter, sugar, and salt.
Wrap outside and bottom on a 9-inch springform pan in 2 layers of foil. Press crumb mixture firmly into bottom of pan. Bake until golden brown around edges and firm, about 15 minutes. Let cool on wire rack. Reduce oven temp to 325.
Make the cheesecake: Melt butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add carrots and 1/2 cup sugar, and cook, stirring often, until carrots are soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer with pan juices to a bowl, and let cool.
Beat cream cheese and remaining cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add carrots and pan juices, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and vanilla; beat until incorporated. Pour into crust.
Set springform pan in a large roasting pan. Fill roasting pan with enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of springform pan. Bake cheesecake until set but slightly wobbly in center, 80 to 90 minutes.
Transfer springform pan to a rack, and remove foil. Let cool. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.

serves 8 to 10