Pumpkin Cheesecake
Why I Love This Recipe
When the family heard I was bringing cheesecake for Thanksgiving, they all said, "We always have pumpkin pie." Though someone always comes with the pumpkin pie, the Pumpkin Cheesecake has become as much of a favorite as the pumpkin pie. Now, they ask, "You are bringing your pumpkin cheesecake, aren't you?"
Ingredients You'll Need
CRUST:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 stick butter
FILLING:
3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz) Carnation sweetened condensed milk
1 can (16 oz) solid pack pumpkin
4 eggs
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
TOPPING:
1 package (2 1/2 oz) sliced almonds
2 cups whipping cream, chilled
1/4 cup sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
For crust, combine all ingredients. Press into bottom of ungreased 10-inch springform pan.
Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool. Add filling and bake.
For filling, combine cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer at high speed for 2 minutes. Add pumpkin, eggs, and pumpkin pie spice. Beat at high speed 1 minute. Pour over prepared crust in pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 65-70 minutes or until set. (Place a pan of water on the rack below the cheesecake. This will keep the cheesecake from cracking.)
Cool completely on rack. Refrigerate 2 hours. Loosen cake from sides of pan; remove sides of pan.
For topping, preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Toast almonds on baking sheet at 300 degrees F for 4-5 minutes or until fragrant and light golden brown. Cool completely. Beat cream in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Spread over top of chilled cake. Garnish with toasted almonds. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tip: To prepare in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan, bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until set.