eggnog-cheesecake

This was such a creamy cheesecake; great for the holidays.

I adapted this recipe from Bill Sinclair, Allrecipes.

eggnog-cheesecake-on-plate

Ingredients

Crust

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

2 tablespoons white sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter

Filling
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4-1 cup eggnog (room temperature)
2 eggs (room temperature)
2 tablespoons rum (dark rum if you have it)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For whipped topping:

1 cup whipping Cream

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon rum (dark rum if you have it)

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). For best results, bring your cream cheese, egg nog and eggs to room temperature.  I took them out more than three hours before I started.

In a medium bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and melted butter, mix well.  Cut out a circle of parchment paper and place into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.  This makes it easier to remove the finished cheesecake from the pan. Press evenly into the lined bottom of the spring form pan, leaving no empty spots.  (You can also make the crust with ginger snaps or gluten-free, with gluten-free graham cracker crumbs, which is what I did).

Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool. (I put in the fridge once it cooled a bit while I made the filling).

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

In a stand mixer or food processor combine cream cheese and 1 cup sugar and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about three minutes.  Add flour and eggnog; mix until smooth (check for any lumps, using a spatula to wipe down sides of the bowl and check the bottom for any cream cheese not fully blended into the mix). Blend in rum and nutmeg. Mix in the eggs gently; don’t over mix.

Put the kettle on or boil water on the stove to create a water bath for the cheesecake.  Once the crust is cooled, wrap the spring form pan with the crust in aluminum foil; make sure there are no tears that would allow water in.  Place the wrapped pan in a deep tray or cookie sheet. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the cooled crust and then pour the boiling water around it to about half way up the pan. Pour mixture into cooled crust. Carefully lift into oven.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to 275 and bake for 45 minutes, or until center of cake is barely firm to the touch. Turn oven off and leave cake in oven for 1 hour, with door propped open. Remove from the oven and immediately loosen cake from rim with a knife dipped in hot water.  Let cool completely to room temperature.  Once cool, put in fridge overnight with rim. The next day before serving, use a knife dipped in hot water to continue to loosen the side of the cheesecake from the pan before removing the rim. Slide cheesecake with parchment paper to serving plate, removing the paper after cutting.

Serve with flavored whipped cream:  beat 1 cup whipping cream with 3 T powdered sugar and then add 1 teaspoon rum,  1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg.