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Pumpkin Cheese Cake

From BRAMPTON BED AND BREAKFAST INN
Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Praline
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 tblsp. unsalted butter
3/4 cup pecans

Crust
6 oz. Graham crackers
6 oz. finely chopped pecans
1 tblsp. ground ginger
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

Filling
4 8 oz. packages cream cheese at room temp.
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
3 tblsp. flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 1/2 teasp. pumpkin pie spice
4 large eggs at room temp.
1 15 oz. solid pack pumpkin
1 teasp. vanilla

Make praline:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheet with foil. Stir sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar melts and mixture comes to boil; boil 1 minute without stirring. Mix in pecans. Spread mixture on prepared baking sheet. Bake until sugar syrup bubbles vigorously, about 8 minutes. Cool praline completely. Break into very small pieces. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight.)

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Stir graham cracker crumbs, pecans and ginger in medium bowl to blend. Add butter; stir until crumbs are moistened. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake crust until set, about 8 minutes. Cool. Double-wrap outside of pan with heavy-duty foil. Place in large roasting pan.

Make filling:
Mix sugar, flour and spice. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugars in large bowl until smooth, add heavy cream and mix again. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in pumpkin and vanilla. Don’t over beat. Pour to crust. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to reach 1 inch up sides of springform pan. Bake cake in water bath until center is just set, adding more water to roasting pan as needed, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from water. Cool in pan on rack. Remove foil. Run small sharp knife between cake and pan sides. Chill until cold; then cover and chill overnight.

Release pan sides. Place cake on platter. Sprinkle praline over, leaving 1-inch plain border at edge. Cut cake into wedges.

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