For a Holiday Treat (good from Halloween through Christmas, or at any time you crave it):
Pumpkin-Walnut Cheesecake
Crust:
1 ½ cups crushed vanilla wafers (about 45 wafers)
½ cup finely chopped walnuts
¼ cup sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Press firmly into bottom and halfway up sides of 10-inch springform pan.
Filling:
3 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
5 eggs
¼ cup heave cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 16-ounce can pumpkin puree
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the cheese and sugars together.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Stir in cream, spices and pumpkin.
Pour into prepared cheesecake pan.
Bake for one hour.
Topping:
6 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
(garnish as desired)
While cheesecake is baking, prepare topping.
Place margarine or butter in a large bowl, add brown sugar and cream together.
Stir in walnuts.
When filling is out of oven, gently dot with small pieces of topping, being careful not to deflate the cheesecake. Return cheesecake to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight.
Remove springform ring just before serving and garnish as desired.
Yield: At least 12 servings.
