Pumpkin Cheesecake

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 2 cups gingersnap crumbs (from about 1/2 pound cookies)
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
• 2 cups sour cream, at room temperature

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 350°f.
• 2 butter a 9- or 10-inch springform pan and coat lightly with flour in a medium bowl, toss the gingersnap crumbs with the melted butter until evenly moistened.
• 3 press the crumbs into the bottom and 1 inch up the side of the prepared pan.
• 4 bake for about 12 minutes, or until the crust begins to color.
• 5 let the crust cool.
• 6 reduce the oven temperature to 325°f.
• 7 in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
• 8 beat in 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar and the brown sugar, then beat in the eggs in 3 additions until the mixture is thoroughly combined, scraping down the side of the bowl occasionally.
• 9 in a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin puree and heavy cream with 1 teaspoon of the vanilla and the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
• 10 add to the cream cheese mixture and beat until combined, scraping the bowl a few times.
• 11 wrap foil loosely around the bottom and up the side of the springform pan.
• 12 pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan and set it in a large baking dish or roasting pan.
• 13 place in the middle of the oven and pour 1 inch of hot water into the baking dish.
• 14 bake the cheesecake for about 70 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the center of the cheesecake is still slightly shaky.
• 15 in a small bowl, combine the sour cream with the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla.
• 16 remove the cheesecake from the water bath and pour on the sour cream topping.
• 17 gently top the pan to spread the topping, and continue baking the cheesecake for 10 more minutes.
• 18 transfer the cheesecake to a rack and let cool for 1 hour.
• 19 remove the foil and the side of the pan and refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours or overnight. if you like, remove the cheesecake from the bottom of the pan by sliding a metal spatula under the crust to loosen it completely, then use 2 large metal spatulas to transfer the cake to a serving plate. alternatively, serve the cheesecake on the pan bottom.