Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

A twist on a classic autumn pie; the gingersnap cookie crust stands up to the creamy and smooth cheese filling.  Alternatively you can substitute the spiced rum with maple syrup. 

What you need:

Crust

1 pkg. (175 g) gingersnap cookies

¼ cup butter (room temperature)

Filling

250 g (1 pkg.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese

1 ¼ c Pure Pumpkin filling

2 large eggs

 ¼ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

½ tsp. nutmeg

¼ c spiced rum

How to make it happen:

Crust

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place cookies in a plastic bag and break into pieces using the back of a sauce spoon or meat hammer.

3. Combine butter with cookie pieces and press mixture firmly into the bottom of a nine inch spring form pan. Bake crust for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. 

4. Reduce oven to 325 degrees and set the crust aside to cool.

 Filling

1. Combine Philadelphia Cream Cheese with sugars and mix on low speed using an electric mixer.

2. Next, add the eggs into the cheese mixture, adding them one at a time.

3. Add the pumpkin filling into the mixture and mix on medium speed until all ingredients are combined.   

4. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and spiced rum and continue to mix on medium speed. Ensure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

5. Pour the batter onto the crust.

In order to ensure the cheesecake bakes evenly and maintains its moisture it should bake in a water bath. Place the cheesecake in a slightly larger container. Bring a kettle to a boil and fill the surrounding container with boiling water until it reaches the height of the cheesecake filling. Make sure the water does not spill into the cheesecake filling as it is poured into the container   (I find placing the cheesecake in an iron skillet or slightly larger frying pan works well).

6. Bake the cheesecake at 325 degrees for one hour.  After one hour, shut the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for an additional thirty minutes.

7. Once the cheesecake is removed from the oven, immediately run a knife around the edges of the spring form pan to avoid cracking.

8. Add chocolate decorations on top as desired.