John's Praline Pumpkin Cheesecake

 John’s praline pumpkin cheesecake

Crust:

1 ½ cups ginger snap cookies, ground

¾ cup hazelnuts ground

3 tablespoons brown sugar

⅓ cup butter melted

Filling:

1 ½ pounds cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

4 eggs

1 ½ cups pumpkin solid packed

½ cup whipping cream

⅓ cup maple syrup pure

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup hazelnuts, chopped and toasted

For crust:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Mix the first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add butter and stir until well combined. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and 2 inches up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan with 2 ¾ inch high sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool maintain oven temperature.

For filling:

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and brown sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Beat in pumpkin. Add whipping cream, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, allspice and beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time. Beating until just combined. Pour batter into the crust. Bake until the cheesecake is puffed and center is set (cheesecake will rise slightly above the edge of the pan) about 1 ½ hours. Transfer to a rack and cool for 30 minutes. Run a small sharp knife around the pan sides to loosen cheesecake. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

For praline:

Line cookie sheet with foil. Butter foil. Stir sugar and 6 tablespoons of water in a medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup turns deep golden brown. Brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally. Stir in chopped toasted hazelnuts. Immediately pour praline onto the prepared cookie sheet . spread with the back of the spoon to a thickness of about ¼ inch. Cool completely. Break pieces praline into 2 inch jagged pieces. Transfer cheesecake to a platter. Release sides of pan. Arrange praline pieces atop cheesecake. Cut cheesecake into wedges and serve.