Cooke Cooks- Punkin Week- Recipe #5

We made it to Friday! This is Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake. It was being rapidly consumed by pygmies when I ripped it out of their hands to take a picture of it, so please excuse the appearance.

This cheesecake is a little more advanced I would say because you have to be really careful about it's doneness. I accidentally overcooked this one by about 5 minutes and it was starting to lose it's creamy texture. It still tasted just fine, but I know it could have been better.

Mix the gingersnap crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a small bowl until they are all moistened.

Next, cover the outside of a 9 inch spring form pan with a double thickness of aluminum foil. This bakes in a water bath and the foil keeps the water from running inside the pan.

Press the buttered crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 7 minutes, let cool for 10 minutes.

Next, mix the cream cheese, brown sugar and white sugar. Mix until well combined and fluffy.

Add pumpkin, eggs, evaporated milk, cornstarch, ginger and cinnamon.

Pour into the cooled crust. Place the cheesecake in a larger baking dish or roasting pan and pour 1 inch of water into the pan. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes or until the center is barely wiggly and the edges are set.

When the cheesecake is almost set, mix sour cream, sugar and vanilla in a small bowl.

Take the cheesecake out and spread this mixture on the top, being careful not to press down too hard, or you may crack and break the top of the cheesecake. I didn't get a picture of this or of the completely cooked cake because it was too late at night and too dark to get a good one. I'd rather have you imagine what it looks like than to put a ugly picture up here.

Here is the link to the Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake.

Here is my adapted recipe (because I can never leave well enough alone!)

Crust:

1 1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Cheesecake:

3-8 oz packages of cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1-15 oz can 100% pure pumpkin

2/3 cup evaporated milk

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:

1-16 oz container sour cream, brought to room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Tightly wrap outside bottom and side of 9-inch spring form pan with 2 pieces of foil to prevent leakage. Lightly grease inside of pan.

Combine cookie crumbs, granulated sugar and butter in medium bowl. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of prepared pan. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs, pumpkin and evaporated milk. Add cornstarch, ginger and cloves; beat well. Pour into crust. Place pan in large roasting pan; fill roasting pan with hot water to 1-inch depth.
Bake for 65 to 75 minutes or until edge is set but center still moves slightly.

Combine sour cream, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in small bowl; mix well. Remove cheesecake from water bath, leaving water bath in oven. Spread sour cream mixture over surface of warm cheesecake. Return cake to water bath; bake for 5 minutes longer. Remove cheesecake from water bath to wire rack. Run knife around edge of cheesecake. Cool completely. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Remove side of pan.