Pumpkin-Pecan Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons butter melted
• 1.5 cups pumpkin canned
• 32 oz cream cheese softened
• 4 large eggs 
• 12 servings garnishes: pecan pie-glazed pecans fresh coarsely chopped
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs 
• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 1.5 tablespoons juice of lemon 
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar light
• 0.3 cup pecans finely chopped
• 12 servings praline topping 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• knife
• wire rack
• stand mixer
• springform pan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 32
2. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Press mixture on bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
4. Beat cream cheese and next 2 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until blended and smooth.
5. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
6. Add pumpkin and lemon juice, beating until blended.
7. Pour batter into prepared crust. (Pan will be very full.)
8. Bake at 325 for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until almost set. Turn oven off.
9. Let cheesecake stand in oven, with door closed, 15 minutes.
10. Remove cheesecake from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. (Do not remove sides of pan.) Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.
11. Remove sides and bottom of pan, and transfer cheesecake to a serving plate. Prepare Praline Topping; immediately pour slowly over top of cheesecake, spreading to within 1/4 inch of edge.
12. Garnish, if desired.
13. Try This Twist! Sweet Potato-Pecan Cheesecake: Substitute 1 1/2 cups mashed, cooked sweet potatoes for canned pumpkin. Proceed with recipe as directed, baking 1 hour or until almost set.