Desserts

Candied Pumpkin-Topped Cheesecake

Candied Pumpkin-Topped Cheesecake recipe

photo by:kraft

I have not made this recipe yet, but I am wondering if I can substitute regular brown sugar, along with ground spices. If so, what would you recommend for measurements?

posted by

CarpeDiemLise

on 11/14/2012

time

prep:

25 min

total:

6 hr 35 min

servings

total:

16 servings

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What You Need

NILLA Wafers, finely crushed (about 1-1/3 cups)

1/4

cup butter, melted

pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

3/4

cup sugar

cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

tsp. ground Mexican cinnamon (canela)

1/2

tsp. ground cloves

eggs

tsp. whole cloves (about 15)

tsp. anise seed

cups water

small cones (1 oz. each) piloncillo (Mexican brown loaf sugar), coarsely chopped

cinnamon sticks

cups chopped fresh pumpkin (about 1/2-inch pieces)

Make It

HEAT oven to 325ºF.

MIX wafer crumbs and butter until well blended; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

BEAT cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream, ground cinnamon and ground cloves; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.

BAKE 1 hour 10 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours.

MEANWHILE, place whole cloves and anise seed in 5-inch-square piece of cheesecloth; tie closed with kitchen string. Place in medium saucepan. Add water, piloncillo and cinnamon sticks; bring to boil. Simmer on medium-low heat 40 min., stirring occasionally. Remove and discard cheesecloth pouch. Add pumpkin to water remaining in saucepan; simmer 20 min. or until pumpkin is tender and coated with syrup, stirring occasionally. Cool completely.

REMOVE cinnamon sticks from pumpkin mixture just before serving; spoon pumpkin mixture over cheesecake. Garnish with cinnamon sticks.