Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

adapted from Epicurious.com

Just in time for Thanksgiving. Are you in charge of a dessert? This one is guaranteed to be a hit.
I've been making this cheesecake for several years. It might have been the first cheesecake I ever attempted. So, needless to say, it is quite easy. Time consuming, but straightforward.


Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS

1. For crust
   • 1 cup pecans (about 4 ounces)
   • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
   • 2 tablespoons sugar
   • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2. For filling
   • 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature (I have substituded Neufchâtel cheese to lighten it up and it has been just fine)
   • 1 1/4 cups sugar
   • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
   • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
   • 1 15-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
   • 3 large eggs
   • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

PREPARATION

1. Make crust:
   1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend first 3 ingredients in processor until nuts are finely chopped. Add butter; process until moist crumbs form. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes. Cool. Wrap outside of pan with double thickness of heavy-duty foil.
2. Make filling:
   1. Using electric mixer, beat first 4 ingredients in large bowl until smooth. Add pumpkin; beat until blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until smooth. Transfer to crust. Set in roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come 1 inch up sides of springform pan.
   2. Bake cake until top is golden and begins to crack and center is set, abut 1 hour 45 minutes. Remove from roasting pan. Cool. Chill overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep chilled.)