Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the Crust:
90g digestive biscuit (graham cracker) crumbs
45g pecan nuts, finely chopped
50g light brown sugar
50g granulated sugar
55g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the Filling:
350ml tinned solid-pack pumpkin (or drained and sweetened pumpkin purée)
3 large eggs
100g light brown sugar
2 tbsp double cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp bourbon
100g granulated sugar
1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly-grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp sea salt
650g cream cheese, warmed to room temperature (or you can use my home-made cream cheese recipe to prepare your own)

For the Topping:
500ml sour cream
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp bourbon

Pecan halves, to garnish

Method:

For the crust, grease and line the base of a 22cm diameter springform cake tin with greaseproof (waxed) paper. In a bowl, mix together the biscuit (cookie) crumbs, pecan nuts, sugar and butter until thoroughly combined. Press this crumb mixture evenly into the base and 1cm up the side of the pan. Transfer to the refrigerator and set aside to chill for 1 hour.

For the filling, mash the pumpkin into a bowl then beat in the eggs, brown sugar, cream, vanilla extract and bourbon. In a separate bowl, combine the cornflour (cornstarch), cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Stir to combine, then add the cream cheese and beat with an electric whisk at high speed until the mixture is creamy and smooth (about 3 minutes). Reduce the mixer's speed to medium then add in the pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth and well combined.

Pour this mixture over the crust in the springform cake tin then sit on a baking tray and transfer to an oven pre-heated to 170°C. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the centre is just set. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

For the topping, whisk together the sour cream, sugar and bourbon in a bowl. Spread this evenly over the top of the cheesecake then return to the oven and bake for 5 minutes more.

After this time, remove the cheesecake from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin until completely cold (at least 3 hours).

Transfer to the refrigerator and chill, uncovered, for at least 4 hours (but best over night). After this time, remove the sides of the cake tin and carefully transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate.

Allow to warm to room temperature, then garnish with pecan halves before slicing and serving. If needed, this cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.