The Ulitmate Thanksgiving dessert

Everyone has a favorite component to Thanksgiving meals! Stuffing for some - Gravy for others..... the pies! the hours of football - with your top button undone and that bloated delightfully full feeling that only comes after mountains of carbs and loads of turkey and gravy! Dessert is never an afterthought.... pies, Cakes, bars, you name it. This year I have taken components of my Favorite Thanksgiving desserts - and re-worked and tweaked them to be all wrapped up into what I call the ultimate Thanksgiving dessert....

Pumpkin Cheesecake ( with a gingersnap crust)
Pecan Brittle - and Caramel Bourbon Sauce

This recipe combines the spicy warmth of pumpkin pie, with the smooth silky creaminess of Cheesecake - The toasty crunch of pecan pie, ( from the brittle) and the crisp sweetness of gingersnap cookies and combines it all into one decadent and much more portable dessert! Enjoy!

Don't worry about it being too sweet! too sticky. I cut the sugars in half form my original recipes... and it all works together just perfectly! Skip the brittle if you don't have time - and make candied pecans..... Both recipes are below!


My Cheesecake recipe of for thick, dense cake... not soft -- More NY style


Pumpkin Cheesecake:

Ingredients
Crust:
1 3/4 cups Gingersnap cookies - smashed into crumbs
1/2 stick melted salted butter

Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin ( Not pie pumpkin)
2 whole eggs plus 3 additional egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Sour Cream glaze:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 heaping tablespoon sugar
~ Mix well and set aside to top cake with after its cooked and cooled.

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:
In medium bowl, add the cookie crumbs. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch spring form pan. Bake for about 10 min's in a 350 degree over to start to set the crust

For filling:
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, , sugar and the spices, and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour. A pan of boiling hot water should be placed on the rack directly below the cake - to help prevent cracking. and to provide classic texture Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours. Then top with Sour cream Glaze - and chill overnight. Best if eaten the next day.



Caramel Bourbon Sauce
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean or 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons of bourbon

Directions
Mix the water and sugar in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and boil uncovered until the sugar turns a medium brown, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Watch it carefully at the end, as it will go from caramel to burnt very quickly. Stand back to avoid splattering, and gradually add the cream and the seeds scraped from the vanilla bean (or vanilla extract) and the bourbon. Simmer until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth and thick, about 2 minutes. Serve warm, or add another 1/4 cup of heavy cream and serve room temperature.





Easy Pecan Brittle

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped pecans
1 tablespoon butter

Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.
Combine sugar, light corn syrup, water and salt in a large, heavy skillet. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Add chopped pecans; continue cooking until the syrup begins to turn brown. Remove from heat and stir in butter .
Pour onto prepared baking sheet. Cool completely before breaking into pieces.
Makes 16 servings.




Candied Pecans:
1 cup sugar
1 cup toasted pecans
Butter, for greasing the pan
Melt the sugar and cook until temperature reaches 310 degrees F. Stir in nuts until completely coated. Pour onto buttered baking pan. Try to keep the nuts in individual pieces or pulse in food processor for praline effect.