Pumpkin Cheesecake

I know there are hundreds of recipes for pumpkin cheesecake, but this one is my favorite. My husband requests it every Thanksgiving instead of pumpkin pie.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 10 mins
• Yields: 1 10inch cheesecake

Ingredients

• CRUST

• 3⁄4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1⁄2 cup  finely chopped toasted pecans
• 1⁄4 cup  firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 4  tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

• FILLING

• 1 1⁄2 cups pumpkin puree (fresh or solid pack)
• 3  large eggs
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  fresh grated nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1⁄2 cup  firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
• 2  tablespoons heavy cream
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 3  tablespoons Bourbon

Directions

1. CRUST: Mix all the ingredients together and press into the bottom of a 10" springform pan.
2. Chill.
3. FILLING: Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
4. Whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, spices, brown sugar.
5. In the bowl of your mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese together with the granulated sugar on low speed, scraping down the bowl occasionally.
6. On low speed this may take about 5 minutes, but please don't be tempted to turn the speed up higher.
7. We want to incorporate as little air as possible into the filling.
8. When the mixture is ready, mix in the cream, the cornstarch, vanilla, and bourbon just until incorporated, then add the pumpkin mixture.
9. You will have to scrape down the bowl at least twice to make sure everything is evenly mixed.
10. Pour into the crust.
11. Wrap a piece of foil around the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
12. Place into a roasting pan large enough to hold it comfortably.
13. Put the pan in the oven, then pour boiling water all around until it comes 1/2-way up the sides of the springform pan.
14. Bake the cheesecake until done- it will be set on the edges but will still be a bit jiggly in the center.
15. It will finish setting up outside of the oven.
16. This baking will probably take 1 and 15 minutes, maybe an hour and a half.
17. Remove the cake from the water bath and let cool on the counter.
18. The refrigerate overnight.
19. Garnish with unsweetened whipped cream, and some chocolate shavings, or candied pecans.
20. Note: this cake can be baked, wrapped tightly in double layer of plastic, and frozen for up to a month.
21. Thaw in the refrigerator.