Crust:
1 1/2 Cups Fine Gingersnaps or Graham Cracker Crumbs
(about 8 ounces cookies)
3/4 Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts
6 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, melted
Filling:
1 1/4 Pounds Cream Cheese, at room temperature
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Lightly Packed Brown Sugar
1 teas. Watkins
Cinnamon
3/4 teas. Watkins
Ginger
1/2 teas. Watkins
Ground Cloves
1/2 teas. Watkins
Nutmeg
2 Cups Fresh or Solid-Pack Unsweetened Pumpkin Puree
5 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
Lightly butter a 10 by 2 inch round cake pan or
springform pan. (If using a springform pan, wrap the bottom and sides with foil.) To make
the crust, combine the gingersnap crumbs, nuts, and butter in a bowl and mix well. Press
the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Refrigerate for at least 30
minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
To make the filling, put the cream cheese in a large
bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until it is smooth. Beat in both sugars and the
spices, and continue to beat for 3 to 4 minutes, until light in texture. Beat in the
pumpkin puree. Beat in the eggs one at at time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after
each addition. Beat in the cream. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Put the cake
pan in a roasting pan and add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the cake
pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until the cheesecake is firm to
the touch and slightly puffed.
Transfer the cheesecake to a wire rack and let cool, then
cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. When the cheesecake is completely
chilled, if baked in a cake pan, dip the pan into a large bowl of hot water for 2 to 3
minutes to loosen the crust. Invert a large flat plate on top of the cheesecake and invert
the cake onto the plate. Put a second plate on the bottom of the cheesecake and turn it
right side up. If baked in a springform pan, no need to invert the cake. Release the sides
of the springform pan, transfer the cake to a serving plate, and serve. Cut into slices
with a knife dipped into hot water and wiped dry.
The cheesecake can be refrigerated for 4 to 5 days or
frozen, well wrapped, for up to 2 weeks. Yield: Serves 8 to 10
