Pumpkin Cheesecake with Bourbon-Spiked Cream

So I just got my December 2011 issue of Food Network Magazine, and I saw hubby flipping the pages. I told him to choose a dish from the magazine that he wants me to make, and this was the result:

He probably marked about 20 dishes! I am gonna be a busy lady!

This cheesecake recipe is from the October 2011 edition, and contributed by Emeril Lagasse. Lately, I have been enjoying trying out recipes from magazines. I am starting to see my blog as a "test kitchen" of sorts... I post those that turned out good, while the unsuccessful ones remained buried with only photos to remember them by. :-|

This recipe was good, but not overly sweet. I was quite disappointed with the crust, but the addition of the chocolate sauce more than made up for it. The texture was also more cake-y than silky, and it was because it called for flour. Not sure what would have happened if I skipped the flour, and I am not one to experiment much in baking. As I have previously said, baking is an exact science and doing away from the tiniest ingredients would make or break the product. Also, I wouldn't really veer away from Emeril's recipe because most of his recipes that I tried were really awesome.


What you need: 

For the cheesecake:
1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (about 45 crushed wafers)
1 cup ground pecans
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
2 pounds (4 blocks) cream cheese, cubed and softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
6 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups canned pure pumpkin

For the topping:
2 cups sweetened whipped cream
dash of bourbon
chocolate syrup (optional)  


What to do:  

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the wafer crumbs, ground pecans and melted butter in a bowl. Press into the bottom of a 12 inch springform pan.

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, mix the cream cheese until smooth (this might take a minute or two). Add the brown sugar and process until blended. Add the eggs one at a time, processing until fully incorporated, then blend in the heavy cream. Add the flour, salt, cinnamon and vanilla and blend until smooth. Add the pumpkin and continue blending until smooth. 

Pour the filling over the crust in the pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the cheesecake is just set. Remove from the oven. Use a knife to loosen the cake from the side of the pan; this will prevent it from splitting down the center. Let cool completely before slicing.

Meanwhile, make the topping: Combine the whipped cream and bourbon in a bowl and mix until blended. 

Remove the side of the springform pan and slice the cheesecake. Top each piece with a drizzle of chocolate syrup and some bourbon whipped cream.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. To crush the wafers and pecans, place them in a food processor and grind until fine. Careful though - you don't want powdered wafer! :-)
2. If you don't have a springform pan, you can use a 9" X 12" pan. Just make sure you line it with parchment paper.
3. Don't feel like making the spiked whipped cream? Use regular whipped cream instead.
4. Oven heat varies. Make sure you keep an eye on your cheesecake. If it starts cracking, it means you overcooked it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Give thanks to the Lord, for HE is good. His love endures forever." -Psalm 107:1