Showstopper Eggnog Cheesecake Recipes

Steps:

• Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. , In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press onto the bottom of pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and flour until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Gradually stir in the eggnog, extract and nutmeg. Pour filling over crust., Place springform pan in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. , Bake at 325° until center is just set and top appears dull, 45-50 minutes. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled. If desired, top with whipped cream, then sprinkle with nutmeg.

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.

Steps:

• For the crust: In a medium bowl, stir together the ground cashews, graham crackers and the 1/2 cup sugar.
• Drizzle the melted butter over the cashew mixture.
• Toss till mixed well.
• Press the cashew mixture onto the bottom and about 1 1/2 inches up the sides of a 10-inch springform pan.
• Wrap outside of the springform pan securely with heavy foil.
• Set aside.
• For filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium-high speed 3 to 4 minutes or till mixture is completely smooth, scraping sides of bowl.
• Reduce speed to medium, beat in rum (if you like), sugar, vanilla and nutmeg.
• Add eggs all at once, beat on low speed till just combined.
• Stir in eggnog.
• Pour filling into crust-lined pan.
• Place springform pan in a large roasting pan.
• (Make sure there's at least 1 inch between the springform pan and the edges of the roasting pan).
• Place roasting pan on oven rack.
• Carefully pour enough hot tap water into roasting pan to come halfway up side of springform pan.
• Bake in 350 oven 60 to 70 minutes or till edge of cheesecake is firm and center appears nearly set when lightly shaken.
• Carefully remove pan from water bath, transfer to a wire rack.
• Cool 15 minutes.
• Remove foil.
• Lossen crust from sides and cool 30 minutes.
• Remove sides of pan, cool.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days.
• Garnish with cashew brittle, if you like.
• To bake without the water bath: Prepare cheesecake as above, except omit the foil; place the pan with filling in a shallow roasting pan.
• Bake without water bath 45 to 50 minutes or till center appears nearly set when shaken.
• Surface will have a more golden color than cheesecake baked in a water bath.

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.