Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake With Brown Sugar & Bourbon Cream - crust

Method

• For the Crust:.
• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.
• Spray bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan evenly with non-stick cooking spray.
• Pulse crackers, sugar and spices in a food processor until evenly and finely ground, about fiften 2-second pulses.
• Transfer crumbs to medium bowl, drizzle melted butter over, and mix with rubber spatula until evenly moistened.
• Turn crumbs into the pan and, using your hand, spread crumbs into and even layer.
• Using a flat-bottomed ramekin or drinking glass, press the crumbs evenly into the pan bottom, and then use a soup spoon to press and smooth crumbs into edges of pan.
• Bake until fragrant and browned about the edges, about 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while making the filling.
• For the Filling:.
• Bring about 4 quarts of water to a simmer in a stockpot.
• Whisk the sugar, spices, and in a small bowl; set aside.
• To dry the pumpkin, line a baking sheet with a triple layer of paper towels.
• Spread pumpkin on paper towels in a roughly even layer.
• Cover the pumpkin with a second triple layer of paper towels and press firmly until paper towels are saturated.
• Peel back the top layer of towels and discard.
• Grasp bottom towels and fold pumpkin in half; peel back towels; repeat and flip pumpkin onto baking sheet and then discard the towels.
• In a standing mixer fitted with a flat beater, beat the cream cheese at medium speed to break up and soften slightly, about 1 minutes. Scrape beater and bottom and sides of the bwol well with a rubber spatula.
• Add about one third of the sugar mixture and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute; scrape the bowl and add remaining sugar in two additions, scraping bowl after each addition.
• Add pumpkin, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat at medium speed until combined, about 45 seconds; scrap bowl.
• Add 3 eggs and beat at medium-low until incorporated, about 1 minute; scrape bowl. Add remaining 2 eggs and beat at medium-low until incorporated, about 45 seconds; scrape bowl.
• Add heavy cream and beat at low speed until combined, about 45 seconds; using a spatula, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl by hand to make sure everything is incorporated.
• Set the springform pan with cooled crust on an 18-inch square doubled layer of heavy-duty foil and wrap the bottom and sides with foil.
• Set wrapped springform pan in a roasting pan. Pour the filling into the springform pan and smoothe the surface.
• Set the roasting pan in the oven and pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
• Bake until the center of the cake is slightly wobbly when the pan is shaken, and the center of the cake registers 145-150 degrees on an isntant-read thermometer, about 1 1/2 hours (see description about baking times).
• Set the roasting pan on wire rack and use paring knife to loosen cake from the sides of the pan.
• Cool until water is just warm, about 45 minutes.
• Remove springform pan from water bath, discard the foil and set on a wire rack, continue to cool until barely warm, about 3 hours.
• Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.
• For the Cream Topping:.
• In a standing mixer bowl, wisk heavy cream, sour cream, brown sugar, and salt until combined.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve cheesecake at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours, stirring once or twice during chilling to ensure that the sugar dissolves.
• When ready to serve cheesecake, add bourbon and beat misture with whisk attachment at medium speed until small bubbles form around edges, about 40 seconds; increase speed to high and continue to beat until fluggy and doubled in volume, about 1 minutes longer. Spoon Cream on individual slices of pie.