From Me to You, a delicious recipe

I know, I know...don't ordinarily give anyone a recipe,

it's a prescription for getting people mad at you, like

rercommending an OB/GYN or a hairdresser...but I

do pretty well with holiday recipes & I love love love to

cook for the holidays, so here goes:

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Honeyed Walnuts

Prep Time:  50 mins
Total Time:5 hr 
Ingredients


Makes: 9-inch cheesecake



FOR CRUST:


3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, toasted bread crumbs, or ground almonds
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup toasted walnut halves
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened


FOR THE FILLING:


2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar
5 large eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground alllspice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 15-ounce cans pure pumpkin puree
1/4 cup maple syrup


FOR THE HONEYED WALNUTS:
1 cup roughly chopped walnut halves
1/4 cup honey
Pinch of Kosher salt


Directions


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.


FOR THE CRUST:


Combine graham cracker crumbs, flour, walnuts and 1/2 cup of light brown sugar in a food processor. Process until finely ground, then add butter and puree until smooth. Press the mixture into the bottom of a spring-form 9-inch round cake pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes until firm.






FOR THE FILLING:


Sift flour, cinnamon, and allspice together.


Starting with a paddle attachment in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and brown sugar. Switch to a whisk attachment and whip until the cream cheese mixture is light and creamy. Add eggs and beat until they just come together. Then with the mixer on low add half of the dry sifted ingredients, then half of the pumpkin puree. Repeat the process until all ingredients are combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides as necessary.


Wrap the outside of the pie pan tightly with foil so that the spring-form pan is sealed. Place it in a large roasting tray. Pour the cheesecake filling into the crust. Drizzle the maple syrup into the filling. Using a skewer, carefully drag maple syrup through filling so it has a marbled effect.


Transfer entire tray to a 325 degree F pre-heated oven. Fill the roasting tray with hot water so that it comes half-way up the side of the pan, taking care not to splash inside of the cheesecake. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until the edges are firm and the center is still slightly wobbly when gently shaken. Remove from oven and the water bath and allow to cool for 30 minutes before placing in the fridge to chill for 4 hours or overnight. To remove from pan, run a knife around the edge of the pan and carefully unmold the spring-form.


FOR THE HONEYED WALNUTS:


Place roughly chopped walnut halves in a large saute pan and set over high heat. Toss periodically until the pieces are brown around the edges and the nuts become fragrant - about 4 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt. Add honey and toss well until walnut pieces are glazed and shiny. Remove to cool on a piece of parchment paper. Finish the cheesecake by scattering honeyed walnuts evenly scattered over the top.








Believe me, this is well worth the time & trouble.  It's delicious & tastes like a professionsl chef made it.

Anyway, it's Thanksgiving!  We're worth it !!

wouldn't this be a great Christmas cake for a party?

change it up as much as you like, put each layer on a different

little stand, all clustered in one place.

I, of course, being totally consumed with the

"presentation" would have a big sheet cake in the

kitchen which I would actually serve.

:)