Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients
Yield: 10 – 12 slices.
Crust

    Use an 8-inch spring-form pan

•     1 and 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
•     1 cup ginger snap cookies
•     1/4 cup sugar
•     1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
•     8 tablespoons melted butter

Cheesecake Filling

•     3 8-ounce packages cream cheese
•     1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
•     2/3 cups light brown sugar
•     3 eggs
•     1 teaspoon vanilla
•     1/2 teaspoon salt
•     1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•     1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
•     1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
•     1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Sour Cream Layer

•     1 cup sour cream
•     1/4 cup sugar
•     1 teaspoon vanilla
•     1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
•     1/8 teaspoon nutmeg **freshly ground if available

Whipped Cream

•     2 pints heavy cream
•     1/4 cup sugar
•     1/2 teaspoon vanilla
•     Additional toppings:
•     Caramel sauce
•     gingersnap crumbs

Instructions

Crust preparation

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, ginger snap crumbs, sugar, and butter; mix well. Press crust into a spring form pan. Press the crust about halfway up the side of the spring form pan. Refrigerate crust while you continue to prepare the cheesecake.

Filling preparation

1. Allow extra time for mixing up this filling. Remove the pure pumpkin puree from the can and place in a couple of large paper towels. Wrap the pumpkin puree with the paper towels; this will soak up the excess water in the pumpkin puree. Continue to remove excess water from the pumpkin puree for about 60 minutes before making cheesecake mixture. Bring the remaining ingredients for the filling to room temperature while the pumpkin puree is being drained. With a mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth; add eggs one at a time and then combine all ingredients for the filling in a mixer. Blend until very smooth. For best results, allow all ingredients to reach room temperature before mixing the filling. Remove crust from refrigerator, and pour in filling.
2. 
   
3. Bake cheesecake at 350 for 30 minutes and then reduce temperature to 325 degrees for an additional 30 minutes. When you remove the cheesecake, it should be slightly jiggly in the center.The cheesecake will set up nicely as it cools.

Sour Cream Layer

1. When you remove the cheesecake from the oven, set aside and prepare the seasoned cream cheese layer. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, sugar, and spices. Blend well. Spread seasoned sour cream mixture over the baked cheesecake evenly. Place the cheesecake back into the 325 degree oven for about 8 minutes, until the sour cream layer is set.

Whipped Cream

1. Allow the cheesecake to cool. When the cheesecake is completely cool, you can add the whipped cream. In a medium sized bowl, combine heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar; mix well with a blender or a stand mixer. Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks. Remove ring from the spring-form pan and either pipe the whipped cream over the pumpkin cheesecake or spread with a knife.
2. 
   
3. When you are ready to serve the Olive Garden Pumpkin Cheesecake, cut each slice, drizzle the top of the cheesecake with caramel sauce, and then sprinkle over ginger snap crumbs before serving.

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