PRALINE PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

By stepjo7269

Monica Goin's (friend from TMR) friend Kami R. Smith

Ingredients

• Directions:
• 1 lb. cream cheese
• 2 t. vanilla
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1 lb. cottage cheese
• 1 lb. sour cream
• 4 whole eggs
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 4 T. corn starch
• 2 c. canned pumpkin
• 2 T. cinnamon spice
• ●Pre-heat oven to 300 F.
• ●In a food processor, add cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Run until smooth, scaping sides in 30 second bursts.
• ●Add cottage cheese and run for 30 seconds. Then add sour cream and run until smooth, additional 10 seconds.
• ●Add eggs and juice and jest of 1 lemon. Mix for 10 seconds.
• ●While processor is running, add corn starch to alleviate pockets within the batter; run 10 seconds.
• ●Add pumpkin and cinnamon while batter is mixing. Processor will be very full but continue to mix. Mix batter for additional 20 seconds.
• ●Remove lid and pour batter into sprayed spring-form pan.
• ●Place on middle rack in pre-heated oven for 1 hour.
• ●When first hour is complete, reduce heat to 280 F. and be sure to turn cheesecake so browning occurs evenly. Set timer for 30 minutes.
• ●After 30 minutes, reduce temperature to 240 F. Cheesecake should begin to set up. Using a themometer, cheesecake should come out of the oven between 160-170 degrees.
• ●Remove from oven and let stand at room temp for 4 hours, chill in refrigerator overnight.
• Spiced crust:
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 T. cinnamon
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 2 T. granulated sugar
• 2 oz. salted butter, cubed
• 1 egg yolk
• Directions:
• ●In a food processor, add flour, sugar and cinnamon. Mix 10 seconds.
• ●Add butter and egg yolk, pulse mixture until resembles small peas, about 10-12 pulses.
• ●Remove mixture from processor and pour in bottom of greased 10 inch spring-form pan (only spray bottom, not sides).
• ●Using bottom of any flat edge cup, press mixture firmly to create a flat, even surface.
• ●Bake at 375 F. for 10 minutes or until crust is a light golden brown.
• ●Remove from oven; set aside to cool.
• Bourbon Sauce:
• 1 c. dark brown sugar, packed
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 3 T. (to taste) bourbon
• 1 pint heavy cream
• Directions:
• ●Place butter in sauce pan. Bring heat to medium and completely melt butter. Add brown sugar and mix well.
• ●Bring mixture to a boil; add bourbon (mixture will bubble, but keep stirring).
• ●Remove from heat and add cream.
• ●Mix well and set immediately in a cooler for 24 hours.
• ●Remove from cooler and stir. Sauce should be thicker. Taste prior to serving. May need to add more bourbon.
• Praline Pecans:
• 2 c. pecan pieces
• 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• Directions:
• ●Place sugar and pecans in a small pot. Add water (approx. 1/2 c) until sugar looks like wet sand.
• ●Place on high heat and bring to a boil. Cook 8 minutes.
• ●Remove from heat and immediately drain hot sugar from pot into sink running with hot water
• ●Drop wet pecans in 350 F. fryer--fry 1 minute.
• ●Remove and place on parchment paper to dry and cool. Break apart when cool and store in air-tight container.

Preparation

Step 1

Serving: Slice cheesecake, drizzle with bourbon sauce and garnish with pecan pralines.