Eggnog Cheesecake With Cinnamon Graham Cracker Crust Food

EGGNOG CHEESECAKE III

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• In a food processor combine cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour and eggnog; process until smooth. Blend in eggs, rum and nutmeg. Pour mixture into cooled crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 250 and bake for 45 minutes, or until center of cake is barely firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and immediately loosen cake from rim. Let cake cool completely before removing the rim.

EGGNOG CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• CRUST:
• Using a lightly greased, 10 inch Springform pan, combine crumbs, cinnamon, nutmeg and melted butter and press firmly into pan, coming up sides 1-2 inches, depending on how thick you like your crust. Press firmly into and up the sides of the pan using a measuring cup or other flat, round utensil. Chill in freezer while you make the filling.
• FILLING:.
• Place a full kettle of water on to boil.
• Beat Philadelphia cream cheese for one minute until smooth and free of any lumps. Scrape bowl.
• Add large eggs one at a time, beating well in between. Scrape bowl.
• Gradually add sugar and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape bowl.
• Add sour cream, extracts and spices and mix well. Scrape bowl making sure all of the ingredients are WELL incorporated.
• Before filling pan, wrap outside of spring form pan with tinfoil.
• Pour filling into spring form pan, and tap lightly on counter to remove any air bubbles.
• Place springform pan into a large baking pan and place it in preheated oven. Then fill baking pan with boiling water, so that it comes up about half way up the springform pan. (It is easier to fill the pan with water after the cheesecake is in the oven than trying to fiddle with getting a baking pan INTO the oven that is full of boiling water).
• Bake 325 degrees for 75 minutes.
• When done baking, turn off oven and crack open oven door slightly, and leave it cracked open while oven cools.
• DO NOT DISTURB CHEESECAKE.
• Remove the cheesecake when the oven is completely cooled.
• Remove tinfoil and dry off the outside of the springform pan.
• Place in refrigerator and chill at least 4 hours before serving.

CINNAMON GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

Steps:

• Combine cracker crumbs and sugar in a bowl, then add the butter and optional cinnamon.
• Stir with a fork until crumbs are moistened.
• Empty the mixture in the pie plate, then pat and press mixture evenly all around the bottom and sides of the plate.
• Before filling, either bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes or chill for about an hour.
• (You simply want the crust to be firm and both baking and chilling will do that, although I prefer baking.).