Pumpkin Harvest Cheesecake

Pumpkin Harvest Cheesecake

3/4 C Chocolate wafer crumbs
1/3 C Pecans, finely chopped
3 Tb Butter
1 1/2 C Canned pumpkin
3 Eggs, room temperature
1/2 C Brown sugar, firm packed
1 1/2 Ts Cinnamon
1/2 Ts Ground ginger
1/2 Ts Nutmeg
3 Pk Cream Cheese, 8 Oz. Pkgs. softened
1/2 C Sugar
1 Tb Cornstarch

Crust:
Heat oven to 350F/180C. Combine first three ingredients and press onto bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes.

Filling:
Whisk together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar and spices. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch; blend in pumpkin mixture. Pour over crust. Bake 50-55 minutes, or until centre is just set. Remove from oven and run knife around rim of pan. Cool thoroughly at room temperature. Refrigerate overnight. Serves 10-12.

Variations: Drizzle chocolate in random pattern over cheesecake using an easy piping technique. Simply melt 2 squares of Baker Semi-sweet Chocolate over hot water.

Pour chocolate into a small plastic bag. Poke a small hole in bottom of bag and squeeze to drizzle chocolate. Place whole pecans around sides of cheesecake and in circl on top of cake.

Source: Philadelphia Cream Cheese promo in Canadian Living magazine [Nov 94]

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe