22 January 2013

Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake

Did your head just explode? Mmmmmm-MMM!

Along with a yummy Cherry-Bourbon Pie, I made this for last year's annual Friendsgiving that a group of friends and I have. It was my first time with both recipes and I must say they both came out beautifully! This cheesecake is made entirely from scratch (because we keep it real here, folks) - and if done right, your friends will be talking about it for years to come!

yeild: Makes 12 to 14 servings

Equipment
* 9" round pie pan
* electric mixer
* mixing bowls

INGREDIENTS

Crust:
* 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
* 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Filling:
* 1 1/2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin
* 3 large eggs
* 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons heavy cream
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 oz. bourbon liqueur or bourbon (I used Jim Beam)
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese (left at room temperature - I used Philadelphia Cream Cheese)

Topping:
* 2 cups sour cream (20 oz)
* 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 1 oz bourbon liqueur or bourbon

DIRECTIONS

Crust:
1. Butter a 9-inch pie pan (if you don't own one, you can buy an aluminum one at a local grocery store for around $1-3)
2. Stir together crumbs, sugars, and butter in a bowl until combined well.
3. Press crumb mixture evenly into bottom and 1/2 inch up side of the pan.
4. Chill crust 1 hour.

It should look a little something like this:



Bake:
1. Put oven rack in middle position and Preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 
2. Whisk together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and bourbon until combined.
3. In a separate bowl - stir together granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Add cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, add pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth.
4. Pour filling into crust, smoothing top, then bake until center is just set, 50 to 60 minutes.
5. Transfer to rack and cool 5 minutes. (Leave oven on).

Topping:
1. Whisk together sour cream, sugar, and bourbon together completely.
2. Spread on top of cheesecake and bake additional 5 minutes.

AND NOW TRY TO CONTROL YOURSELF...
1. Cool cheesecake completely in its pan for about 3 hours.
2. Chill, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours.
3. Bring to room temperature again before serving.

VOILA!

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