Melissa'S Pumpkin Cheesecake With Vanilla Mousse - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Crust
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans (up to 1 3/4 cups)
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons salted butter, melted
Filling
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temp
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream (or vanilla yogurt)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mousse
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temp
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (8 ounce) Cool Whip Topping, thawed

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
For Crust: Chop pecans finely, no large chunks. In medium mixing bowl, combine pecans, brown sugar & cinnamon, mix in mixer until well blended. Add melted butter. Press down flat into 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
For Filling: Beat 3 pkgs cream cheese until smooth; add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, 1 1/2 cup sugar & the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.
Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place in oven to bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool.
For Mousse: Beat 1 pkg cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, & 1 tsp vanilla extract with mixer in large bowl, until well blended. Whisk in cool whip; spread over cheesecake.
Refrigerate for 4 hours. Remove rim of pan before serving cheesecake. No garnish needed.
*Other variations:
If you like more mousse: By all means: Double it. The photos posted show a doubled mousse recipe.
If you like a crispier crust on the bottom: add 1/2 cup more pecans, leaving the rest of the crust ingredients the same.
*Always use a springform pan.
*Always put parchment paper on the bottom, makes for easy clean up, and easy movement of the cheesecake after the cheesecake has set.
*To keep it moist: Put parchment or wax paper on top of the mousse and then wrap it in plastic wrap.
*To freeze it: Put Cheesecake on a board, wax paper on top of mousse, wrap the cheesecake and board several times with plastic wrap, making sure that there are no gaps in the wrap and that all sides are WELL SEALED. Can freeze cheesecake up to 3 months.
*To thaw after freezing, set in fridge overnight to thaw, and ready to go.