PUMPKIN GINGER CHEESECAKE PIE

By BobD

Ingredients

• SERVES 8
• 1 gingersnap crumb crust, baked and cooled
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15-oz can)

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from gourmet.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make gingersnap crumb crust and reserve.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350F.

Pulse sugar and ginger in a food processor until ginger is finely chopped, then add cream cheese and pulse until smooth. Add eggs, milk, flour, nutmeg, and salt and pulse until just combined.

Reserve 2/3 cup cream cheese mixture in a glass measure.

Whisk together remaining 1 1/3 cups cream cheese mixture and pumpkin in a large bowl until combined.

Pour pumpkin mixture into gingersnap crumb crust. Stir reserved cream cheese mixture (in glass measure) and drizzle decoratively over top of pumpkin mixture, then, if desired, swirl with back of a spoon.

Put pie on a baking sheet and bake until center is just set, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, then chill, loosely covered with foil, at least 4 hours.

If necessary, very gently blot any moisture from surface with paper towels before serving.

COOKS NOTE: Cheesecake can be chilled up to 3 days (crust will soften slightly).

FOR CRUST

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus additional for buttering pie plate
Flour for dusting
1 cup finely crushed gingersnap cookies (5 oz; 20 2-inch cookies)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (2 oz), toasted
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

MAKE CRUST:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Butter and flour pie plate, knocking out excess flour.

Toss together all crust ingredients in a bowl with a fork until crumbs are moistened, then press evenly over bottom and up side of pie plate.

Bake crust 6 minutes, then cool on a rack.