Pumpkin Cheesecake

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake With Brown Sugar & Bourbon Cream

ATK recipe, adapted

Crust

5 ounces graham crackers, broken into large pieces
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling
1 1⁄3 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
1⁄4 teaspoon allspice
1⁄2 teaspoon table salt
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1 1⁄2 lbs cream cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks and left to soften at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice
5 large eggs, left at room temperature
1 cup cream

Brown Sugar and Bourbon Cream
1 cup cream
1⁄2 cup sour cream
1⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar
1⁄8 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons Bourbon

For the Crust:.
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.
Spray bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan evenly with non-stick cooking spray.
Pulse crackers, sugar and spices in a food processor until evenly and finely ground, fiften 2-second pulses. drizzle melted butter over, and mix. spread crumbs into an even layer in pan.

Using a flat-bottomed ramekin, press the crumbs evenly into the pan bottom, and then use a soup spoon to press and smooth crumbs into edges of pan.

Bake until fragrant and browned about the edges, about 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while making the filling.

For the Filling:.
Bring about 4 quarts of water to a simmer in a stockpot.

Whisk the sugar, spices, and in a small bowl; set aside. Beat the cream cheese at medium speed to break up and soften slightly, about 1 minutes.
To dry the pumpkin, line a baking sheet with a triple layer of paper towels.

Spread pumpkin on paper towels in a roughly even layer.

Cover the pumpkin with a second triple layer of paper towels and press firmly until paper towels are saturated.
Peel back the top layer of towels and discard.
Grasp bottom towels and fold pumpkin in half; peel back towels; repeat and flip pumpkin onto baking sheet and then discard towels.

Add about one third of the sugar mixture and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute; scrape the bowl and add remaining sugar in two additions, scraping bowl after each addition.

bAdd pumpkin, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat at medium speed until combined, about 45 seconds; scrap bowl.
Add 3 eggs and beat at medium-low until incorporated, about 1 minute; scrape bowl. Add remaining 2 eggs and beat at medium-low until incorporated, about 45 seconds; scrape bowl.
Add heavy cream and beat at low speed until combined, about 45 seconds; using a spatula, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl by hand to make sure everything is incorporated.
Set the springform pan with cooled crust on an 18-inch square doubled layer of heavy-duty foil and wrap the bottom and sides with foil.
Set wrapped springform pan in a roasting pan. Pour the filling into the springform pan and smoothe the surface.

Set the roasting pan in the oven and pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
Bake until the center of the cake is slightly wobbly when the pan is shaken, and the center of the cake registers 145-150 degrees on an isntant-read thermometer, about 1 1/2 hours (see description about baking times).
Set the roasting pan on wire rack and use paring knife to loosen cake from the sides of the pan.
Cool until water is just warm, about 45 minutes.
Remove spring form pan from water bath, discard the foil and set on a wire rack, continue to cool until barely warm, about 3 hours.
Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.


For the Cream Topping (skipped this but was plenty delicious):
Whisk heavy cream, sour cream, brown sugar, and salt until combined.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve cheesecake at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours, stirring once or twice during chilling to ensure that the sugar dissolves.
When ready to serve cheesecake, add bourbon and beat misture with whisk attachment at medium speed until small bubbles form around edges, about 40 seconds; increase speed to high and continue to beat until fluffy and doubled in volume, about 1 minutes longer. Spoon Cream on individual slices of pie.