Pumpkin Cheesecake
Trees in their fall colors, jack-o-lanterns on the stoop, hot apple cider, and pumpkin cheesecake–sounds like trick-or-treat for grownups!
5 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 cup flour
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 c. sour cream
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup pumpkin puree
Maple syrup, whipped cream, cinnamon for serving
Equipment: 9″ springform pan
Parchment paper
Natural gas oven
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the first 5 ingredients to make a crust. Butter the springform pan, line it with parchment paper, and butter the paper. Evenly pat the crust mixture onto the bottom of the lined pan.
Place cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add sugar, cornstarch, and eggs. Add vanilla, spices, sour cream, maple syrup, and pumpkin, and beat until well mixed.
Pour filling into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes. Turn off the oven–do not open it–and let the cheesecake sit in the oven until cooled. Remove the cake from the oven, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely chilled. Remove the side of the pan and remove the parchment from the sides of the cake. Using an offset spatula, gently pry the parchment under the cake from the pan bottom and place the cake on a serving plate. Trim any parchment paper that shows.
Serve cake slices with a drizzle (or more) of maple syrup and a dollop of whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon.