Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake

This recipe and photo was in the November Southern Living magazine.  It is delicious made with pumpkin, or sweet potatoes.  A great dessert, especially this time of year!


Ingredients:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

5 tablespoons butter, melted

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

4 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Praline Topping

Garnishes: coarsely chopped Pecan Pie-Glazed Pecans, fresh sage leaves (optional)

Instructions:

 Preheat oven to 325°. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Press mixture on bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. . Beat cream cheese and next 2 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until blended and smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add pumpkin and lemon juice, beating until blended. Pour batter into prepared crust. (Pan will be very full.)   Bake at 325° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until almost set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven, with door closed, 15 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. (Do not remove sides of pan.) Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.   Remove sides and bottom of pan, and transfer cheesecake to a serving plate. Prepare Praline Topping; immediately pour slowly over top of cheesecake, spreading to within 1/4 inch of edge. Garnish, if desired.  Try This Twist! Sweet Potato-Pecan Cheesecake: Substitute 1 1/2 cups mashed, cooked sweet potatoes for canned pumpkin. Proceed with recipe as directed, baking 1 hour or until almost set.

Southern Living NOVEMBER 2011