Pumpkin Cheesecake!!!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 3 hrs | Servings: 12 to 15 servings | Difficulty: Intermediate

Ingredients:

• For the crust:
• 1 1/2 packs of Lotus Bischoff cookies
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• For the filling:
• 2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 5 whole extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 2 tbsp corn starch
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 14-ounce can of pumpkin (Libby)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

To make the place the cookies in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until crumbled. I sift it with an Asian wire skimmer to sift out the large pieces and reprocess. Mix with pecans and add melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan (think parchment if you want to transfer it off the bottom). With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature. When cooled make sure you butter the exposed part of the pan; this keeps the cheesecake from sticking to the sides that is one cause of it cracking.

Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.

To make the filling, cream the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes (don't skimp on this). Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon zest, corn starch, and vanilla. Then add the pumpkin and fold in or mix halfway with the paddle and finish off by hand. Pour into the cooled crust. You may have filling left over.

Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 250 degrees F and bake for another 2 hours. Continue to cook until all is firm except the middle 2 or 3 inches. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving.

Add Julian Child's Brown Sugar buttercream icing and some freshly grated cinnamon for the perfect finish.

***adapted from Ina Garten's raspberry cheesecake