Candied Pumpkin-Topped Cheesecake

Prep time25 min

Total time6hr 35min

ServingsMakes 16 servings.

40 NILLA Wafers, finely crushed (about 1-1/3 cups)
¼ cup butter, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) brick cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. ground Mexican cinnamon (canela)
½ tsp. ground cloves
4 eggs
1 tsp. whole cloves (about 15)
1 tsp. anise seed
2 cups water
8 small cones (1 oz. each) piloncillo (Mexican brown loaf sugar), coarsely chopped
2 cinnamon sticks
3 cups chopped fresh pumpkin (about 1/2-inch pieces)

Heat oven to 325ºF.
Mix wafer crumbs and butter until well blended; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream, ground cinnamon and ground cloves; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
Bake 1 hour 10 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours.
Meanwhile, place whole cloves and anise seed in 5-inch-square piece of cheesecloth; tie closed with kitchen string. Place in medium saucepan. Add water, piloncillo and cinnamon sticks; bring to boil. Simmer on medium-low heat 40 min., stirring occasionally. Remove and discard cheesecloth pouch. Add pumpkin to water remaining in saucepan; simmer 20 min. or until pumpkin is tender and coated with syrup, stirring occasionally. Cool completely.
Remove cinnamon sticks from pumpkin mixture just before serving; spoon pumpkin mixture over cheesecake. Garnish with cinnamon sticks.

How to Prepare in 13x9-inch Pan
To bake cheesecake in a 13x9-inch pan instead, prepare as directed except reduce the baking time to 40 min. or until center is almost set.
Substitute
Prepare using Neufchatel cheese.
If You Don't Have Cheesecloth
If you don't have cheesecloth, you can use a small paper coffee filter to make the pouch instead.

127227

Nutrition Information Nutrition Per Serving
Calories	410
	% Daily Value*
Total fat 28g
Saturated fat 16g
Cholesterol 150mg
Sodium 300mg
Carbohydrate 34g
Dietary fiber 0g
Total sugars 29g
Protein 6g
Vitamin A	50 %DV
Vitamin C	4 %DV
Calcium	10 %DV
Iron	6 %DV

You May Also Enjoy:

OREO & Fudge Ice Cream Cake