Technically, Thanksgiving isn't a competition. But everybody knows that everything on the table is openly (or privately) rated and ranked.
From the toasted pumpkin seeds in a sweetened sour cream topping down to the gingersnap crust, this pumpkin cheesecake is a standout. Sit back and let the accolades wash over you as you sink into a tryptophan stupor.
Thanksgiving: won.
Recipe
1 1/2 cups gingersnap crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 lbs. (three 8 oz. packages) regular cream cheese at room temperature (not low-fat)
1 Tablespoon corn starch
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1 15 oz. can cooked pumpkin
- Pre-heat oven to 350°.
- Use 2 Tablespoons of the butter to grease the bottom and sides of a 9″ spring-form baking pan.
- Put the crumbs, sugar and remaining butter into a bowl, mix well.
- Distributed the crumb mixture evenly across the bottom of the pan. Press down to make an even, compact crust.
- Bake for 10 minutes, remove and let cool completely on a wire rack
- Pre-heat oven to 350°.
- In a small bowl mix the brown sugar and spices.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese for a minute, until smooth. Add the corn starch and the brown sugar mixture slowly and beat until smooth and creamy. One at a time, beat in the eggs and egg yolks. Lastly beat in the canned pumpkin, just until mixed through.
- Pour the batter into the prepared crust. Holding the pan firmly on the counter, gently swirl the pan around in circles to even out the top.
- Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325°, bake another 15 minutes. The edges will be a bit puffy, the center will still be jiggly.
Meanwhile make the Topping:
1 1/2 cups sour cream (not low-fat)
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup shelled, raw pumpkin seeds, a.k.a. pepitas
- Toast the seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Watch carefully toss them while they cook, they brown pretty quickly. It will only take a couple of minutes. Remove to a bowl and cool.
- Mix together the sour cream and brown sugar. Stir in the toasted pumpkin seeds.
- Spread the sour cream topping over the cheesecake, distributing the seeds evenly. Continue to bake for another 5 minutes.
- Turnoff the oven. Open the oven door a few inches and let the cheesecake cool completely, about one hour. Remove from oven and run a knife around the edges. Let cool on the counter another hour, cover lightly and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the spring-form pan to serve. It's even more excellent with a dollop of whipped cream on the side.
