Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap & Pecan Crust

By Rose Levy Beranbaum Fine Cooking Issue 35

I discovered just how astonishingly good pumpkin is when not obscured by cinnamon and ginger when I tasted a pumpkin mousse prepared by Jehanne Burch at the Castle Hill Inn & Resort in Newport, Rhode Island. Her mousse contained only pumpkin, sugar, heavy cream, and gelatin. It was a revelation. If you use an electric mixer, start by beating the cream cheese with the whisk attachment until it’s very smooth, and then add the cooked pumpkin mixture and the remaining ingredients. I discovered just how astonishingly good pumpkin is when not obscured by cinnamon and ginger when I tasted a pumpkin mousse prepared by Jehanne Burch at the Castle Hill Inn & Resort in Newport, Rhode Island. Her mousse contained only pumpkin, sugar, heavy cream, and gelatin. It was a revelation. If you use an electric mixer, start by beating the cream cheese with the whisk attachment until it’s very smooth, and then add the cooked pumpkin mixture and the remaining ingredients.

subheading: For the crust:

4-¼ oz. gingersnap cookies (about 17 two-inch cookies), broken into pieces

2 oz. (½ cup) pecans, toasted

1 Tbs. granulated sugar

2 pinches table salt

½ tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

subheading: For the filling:

1 cup unsweetened pumpkin purée (I like Libby’s)

1 cup granulated sugar

2 cups heavy cream, chilled

1 lb. cream cheese, softened to room temperature

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

subheading: For the garnish:

About 24 pecan halves, toasted

Directions at finecooking.com

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