This weekend, Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving…we can’t wait until November like our American friends.

Our Thanksgiving centers around the harvest, being thankful for what we have. Despite the difficulties of 2020, we have plenty to be thankful for.

I present to these cheesecake inspired by an Epicurious recipe and I’ve put my my touch to it.

Pumpkin pie meets cheesecake meets bourbon caramel sauce with some pecans. Simple pleasures like food have helped me cope in this age of the Pandemic. This cheesecake helps the cause.

Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake

(serves 12)

For the crust

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 1/3 cup ground graham cracker crumbs

1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

Filling

2 8oz. bricks of cream cheese, softened

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. corn starch

1 pint of full fat Greek yogurt or sour cream

1 1/2 cups of canned pumpkin puree

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. bourbon whiskey

Pre-heated 350F oven

1. Into a mixing bowl and add your brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and mix until the crumbs are entirely coated by the butter.
2. Lightly coat the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and place your crumb mixtue on the bottom and press the cookie crumbs down using the bottom of a measuring cup. Place in the fridge so that the crust sets.
3. For the filling, add your softened cream cheese in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer on low speed for a minute (until smooth and no lumps). Add the eggs, one at a time and continue to beat slowly. Add the sugar gradually and beat until creamy, for another minute or two.
4. Now add the corn starch, yogurt/sour cream, pumpkin puree, vanilla, whiskey, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix  until the batter is well-mixed but not overbeaten. Pour the cream cheese filling into the crust-lined springform pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
5. Place the springform on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold the sides up around it. Place the cake in a roasting pan and carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan (about halfway up the the cake). Bake for 50 to 60 minutes (middle rack) or until the cheesecake just slightly jiggles. Allow to cool in pan to room temperature.
6. Cover and place in the fridge for at least four hours before serving. Loosen the springform pan and carefully remove the cheesecake and place on a serving plate.
7. To make the caramel sauce, measure out the cream, vanilla and bourbon in a measuring cup, set aside.
8. Put the sugar and the water in a medium sized non-stick pan over a medium heat. Wait until the sugar caramelizes and turns a nut-brown colour (colour of a penny).
9. Remove caramel from the heat and slowly add in the cream mixture into it while whisking until incorporated. Stir in the butter, pinch of salt and the chopped pecans. Allow to cool.
10. Pour caramel sauce on to the cheesecake and serve.