Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake - Conventional

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
makes one 9-inch cheesecake
modified from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

for the crust:
2 C graham cracker crumbs, fine
.5 C pecans, chopped fine
1/8 t ground allspice
1/8 t ground ginger
1/8 t ground cloves
.25 t ground cinnamon
3 oz unsalted butter

for the filling:

1 C + 2 T granulated sugar
.25 C AP flour
.25 t ground allspice
.25 t ground ginger
1/8 t ground nutmeg
1 t ground cinnamon

.75 C roasted pumpkin/winter squash puree

1.75 lb cream cheese
.5 C sour cream
1 t vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk

equipment:
9-inch springform pan
roasting pan


Bring all filling ingredients to room temperature. Dairy and eggs may be left out at room temperature for up to 2 hours to bring to temperature.

Preheat oven to 350ºF

make the crust:
In a medium bowl, stir together the cracker crumbs, pecans and spices. Melt butter; pour over crumb mixture and stir to combing. Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until lightly toasted and fragrant, 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely.

Once cooled, wrap sides and bottom of pan in a double layer of aluminum foil.

make the filling:
Combine spices in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, stir together sugar, flour and a quarter of the spice mixture; set aside. Into the first bowl, stir the pumpkin/winter squash puree until incorporated.

In a large bowl, whip the cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy. With mixer on low speed, gradually add the sugar mixture and beat until smooth. Incorporate sour cream and vanilla. Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating after each addition just to combine; DO NOT OVERMIX. Scrape down bowl and stir mixture with spatula just to homogenize.

Add 1.5 C filling to the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine.

Pour about .5-inch of plain filling into the cooled crust. Place several large dollops of pumpkin filling around the pan; swirl with a butter knife. Pour remainder of plain filling over swirled filling, covering all visible pumpkin. Dollop remaining pumpkin filling evenly over plain; with a clean butterknife, swirl.

Place pan in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Pour or ladle enough boiling water into pan to come halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan.

Bake in water bath 30 minutes at 350ºF. Reduce oven temperature to 325ºF and continue baking until the center remains jiggly but the edge of the cake is set and just beginning to turn golden brown, about 30-40 minutes. Turn off oven and prop door open with a folded tea towel. Let cool in oven 1 hour before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Cover and refrigerate overnight before serving, to allow cake to set, flavor to mature.