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Pumpkin Cheesecake with Ginger Snap Crust and Bourbon Whipped Cream

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • about 1/2 box ginger snap cookies
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 stick butter melted

For the Cheesecake

  • 5 8 ounce packages cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup confectioner's sugar
  • 1/4 cup flour sifted
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
  • 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
  • 6 eggs at room temperature

Additional Items

  • Heavy duty aluminum foil
  • Spring form pan
  • Large roasting pan
  • Large teapot or measuring cup for boiled water

For the Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon I used Maker's Mark

Instructions

  1. Wrap 2 sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil tightly around a spring form pan
  2. Using a food processor, pulse gingersnaps until they become fairly fine crumbs
  3. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add sugar and melted butter, and stir to combine and all crumbs are evenly coated
  4. Transfer to the spring form pan, using hands press across bottom and up the sides
  5. Set aside
  6. Add the cream cheese to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
  7. Beat cream cheese on low until fluffy, 2-3 minutes
  8. Combine brown sugar and confectioner's sugar in a bowl, sift in flour
  9. With the mixer still running on low, add the sugar - flour mix to cream cheese a little at a time
  10. Add vanilla bean paste and pumpkin, scrape down sides if necessary
  11. Add eggs, one at a time, making sure each is incorporated before adding the next
  12. Turn of mixer, remove bowl, and tap on counter several times to remove air pockets, set aside for 20 minutes or so
  13. Preheat oven to 350
  14. Put the prepared spring form in the large roasting pan
  15. Transfer batter to the prepared spring form pan
  16. Boil about 6-8 cups water in a teapot or in the microwave in a measuring cup that can pour safely
  17. Put the pan on the oven rack
  18. Pour boiling water in the roasting pan, halfway up the sides of the spring form pan, careful not to splash the water on the cheesecake (or yourself)
  19. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes
  20. Reduce heat to 325 and bake an additional 60 minutes
  21. Turn off oven, leave door open halfway with the cheesecake still inside for 30 minutes
  22. Remove from oven and cool completely
  23. Refrigerate overnight

For the Whipped Cream

  1. Chill metal bowl and whisk of stand mixer in freezer for 20-30 minutes
  2. Combine cream, sugar, and bourbon in the bowl and attach whisk to stand mixer
  3. Start on low so you don't splash, whip and increase to medium until soft peaks form