Pumpkin Cheesecake

I have never been a big cheesecake person (unless it's like this). I don't think I've ever ordered it at a restaurant. It always seems too rich and heavy, and that says a lot coming from me. Pumpkin cheesecake is the exception to the rule. It's a hybrid of pumpkin pie and cheese cake; lighter than cheesecake and with warm, aromatic pumpkin pie spice. I got the recipe from Martha Stewart. My advice - drench the batter bowl in water before you can eat too much of it because it is fantastic.

Ingredients:

Crust

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 6 full graham crackers)

1/4 cup sugar

4 tbsp melted unsalted butter

Pinch of salt

Filling

4 8oz packages of cream cheese, at room temperature

1 1/4 cup sugar

3 tbsp flour

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (I made my own with cinnamon, all spice, and nutmeg - would have added ground ginger if I had any)

1 tbsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. To make the crust, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter, and salt until moist. Press into the bottom of a springform pan. (I used the bottom of a glass to pack it in.) 

Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden.

Beat cream cheese and sugar on low with a stand or electric mixer. Mix in flour. Add pumpkin puree, spices, vanilla, and salt and mix until just smooth - don't over mix. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is completely incorporated before adding the next. 

Place the springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet and pour the filling in. Smooth it on top. Put in the oven and reduce the heat to 300. Don't open the door. Bake for 45 minutes then turn off the oven and let it sit inside for 2 hours. Remove it from the oven and let it cool.

Cover it in Saran wrap and put it in the fridge for four hours to firm up.