Published November 1, 2003.
We discovered a few keys to the perfect pumpkin cheesecake recipe: For a smooth and creamy texture, we blotted the canned pumpkin puree with paper towels to remove excess moisture before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients. We passed over brown sugar, which overpowered the pumpkin, in favor of milder granulated sugar. Baking the cake in a water bath in a moderate oven also helped give our pumpkin cheesecake recipe its velvety texture.
Depending on the oven and the temperature of the ingredients, the cheesecake may bake about 15 minutes faster or slower than the instructions indicate; it is therefore best to check the cake 1 1/4 hours into baking. Although the cheesecake can be made up to three days in advance, the crust will begin to lose its crispness after only one day. To make slicing the cheesecake easy and neat, use a knife with a narrow blade, such as a carving knife; between cuts, dip the blade into a pitcher of hot water and wipe it clean with paper towels. The cheesecake is good on its own, but the Brown Sugar and Bourbon Cream (recipe follows) is a grand addition.
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