Provided by Chef Kayleigh at The Community Grill

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1.75 hours

Servings: 10 people

INGREDIENTS

Crust

• 7.5 oz ginger snaps
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 5 Tbsp melted butter

Filling

• 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 24 oz cream cheese room temperature
• 5 eggs room temperature

Praline Topping

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 6 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp Heavy Cream
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, wrap a 9 or 10-inch springform pan with a double layer of foil and spray pan.
2. Combine ginger snaps, sugar and melted butter in a food processor. You want the cookies to be fine crumbs.
3. Dump mixture into pan and press into an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. While crust is baking, start the filling. Combine pumpkin puree, sugar and spices in a medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until mixture thickens.
5. Transfer pumpkin mixture to a food processor for one minute to cool. Add cold, heavy cream while the food processor runs.
6. Scrape down sides and add cream cheese in large chunks. Process until smooth. Add eggs. Pulse until just combined (do not over mix).
7. Set your cake pan in a large roasting pan and pour pumpkin mixture on top of cooled crust.
8. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it is halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake at 325 degrees for one-and-a-half hours until set (if liquid, it is not done).
9. Let the cheesecake cool down with the water bath, then move to a counter to finish cooling.
10. Once cheesecake cools, combine brown sugar, butter, heavy cream and salt over medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
11. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and chopped pecans. Pour over cheesecake. It will thicken as it cools down.
12. Place cheesecake in fridge at least four hours or overnight. Do not take springform pan off until ready to serve.