Ultra-Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake With A Hint Of Brandy - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Crumb Crust
1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pumpkin Filling
2 cups cottage cheese
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 cups dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
1/3 cup flour
1 (15 ounce) can solid-pack pumpkin
1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup brandy
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Topping
whipped cream
1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F
Coat 9\" springform pan with cooking spray.
Crumb Crust:.
Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Mix to moisten crumbs, then press into prepared pan - bottom and 2-inches up the sides. Bake 10-12 minutes until slightly darkened.
Pumpkin Filling:.
With a wire whisk or electric mixer on low speed, beat cottage cheese until smooth. Add cream cheese, brown sugar, eggs (one at a time until smooth), and flour; continue beating until smooth.
Add pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, brandy, nutmeg and cloves; beat until smooth. COOK'S TIP: DO NOT OVERBEAT! If there is too much air in the batter, it will pouf up like a souffle while baking then drop into an unappetizing mess.
Pour the batter into the baked graham cracker crust.
Bake the cheesecake 1 1/2 hours on a baking sheet, or until top is firm and cake is beginning to pull away from sides of pan.
Cool cheesecake to room temperature on a wire rack, then chill in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 hours before unmolding and serving. COOK'S TIP: Chilling overnight is best.
Just before serving, decorate each slice with a daub of whip cream, chopped pecans and ginger.