Pumpkin Pecan Crumb Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce

I really wished this had come out for me. From what we could taste of it, it was really good. I baked it as directed, except for the first time ever, I wrapped my pan in foil and put it in a water bath to bake (I normally just place a pan of water in the over below it). When I took it out, I found a small tear in the foil. Water seeped out when I took the foil off! I knew it was ruined. As if that wasn't enough, the cheesecake wasn't fully cooked through, even though I baked it as directed and took it out with a slight jiggle of the cheesecake. The top half was fine to eat though.

So perhaps if you are feeling up to it go ahead and try this or use the ingredient ideas on your favorite pumpkin cheesecake recipe, just bake it longer and stick a toothpick/knife in the center to check for doneness. Also be very very sure there are no holes or tears in the foil before making a water bath. Let my mishaps be your lesson. May yours be wonderful!

Cheesecake:

Crust:
2 c. graham cracker, cookie or any other type crumbs
7 T. butter
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon

Filling:
1 1/2 c. sugar
4 pkgs. (8 oz. ea.) cream cheese
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/4 t. allspice
3 T. flour
1 t. ginger
1 c Heavy Cream
2 c Pumpkin
1T Vanilla

For the crust use a (10 inch) spring form pan.
Mix together crumbs, butter, sugar and cinnamon and place in bottom and partially up sides of spring form pan. Place in freezer for 10-15 minutes.
Mix together sugar, cream cheese, eggs and yolks until smooth with no lumps of cream cheese left at all. This will make your cheesecake lighter (less dense).
Add spices and flour and mix.
Add whipping cream (unwhipped), vanilla and pumpkin. Do not over mix.
Pour into prepared crust. *Either wrap cheesecake pan tightly in foil, place in a roasting pan with hot water poured in the roaster 1/2 way up or place a pan of water on the bottom rack of a 425° oven. Place cheesecake on upper rack and bake for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 275° and bake for 1 hour.
Shut oven off but do not remove cake; let sit in oven for 2 hours.
Remove from oven and refrigerate overnight before serving.

Crumb topping:

¼ cup pecans (ground)

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup packed brown sugar

pinch of salt

4 tablespoons butter, cold, cubed

In a food processor, grind ¼ cup of almonds. Add the flour, brown sugar and salt, and pulse until blended. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle on cheesecake last 10 minutes of bake time.

2 cups sugar

½ cup water

1 ½ TBSP light corn syrup

2/3 cup heavy cream

2 TBSP unsalted butter, at room temperature

Put the sugar, water and corn syrup in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan, stir just to combine the ingredients and then put the pan over medium-high heat. Heat, without stirring , until the caramel turns deep amber, 5-10 minutes. Lower the heat a bit and, standing back from the saucepan add the cream and butter. When the spatters are less vehement, stir to calm down the caramel and dissolve any lumps. Remove from heat.