Pumpkin Cheesecake Squares with Chocolate Ganache

This delicious recipe is perfect for that extra-special autumn dessert theme...

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie wafers
¼ c. pecans
3 T. butter
½ t. cinnamon

1 cup pumpkin puree – either fresh sugar pie pumpkin (seeded, cooked and pureed), or canned pumpkin
16 oz neufchatel or cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
¼ t. nutmeg
¼ t. cloves

7 oz. dark chocolate
1/4 c. heavy cream

Preparation

•  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Line 9” x 9” pan with foil with 4-5” at each end that hang over the sides. Oil pan.
•  Grind cookie wafers, pecans, and cinnamon in food processor. When reduced to crumbs add butter and pulse until well-mixed and begins to clump together. Pour into pan and press down evenly along bottom. Bake for 10 minutes.
• Mix cream cheese and sugar in mixing bowl until thoroughly blended. Add in pumpkin, ¼ cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add eggs one at a time mixing thoroughly after each. Add vanilla and spices. Pour mixture into pan.
• Bake in water bath for 45 minutes until set (should still jiggle slightly in center when removed from oven).
• Cover and place in refrigerator for 2-3 hours, until fully cooled.
• Chop chocolate into small pieces. Heat cream until simmering. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes and then stir until ganache is fully incorporated with no lumps.
• Pour ganache over cheesecake in pan. Cover and allow to cool again in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour, until set. Once fully set cut into squares, rectangles or diamond shapes.

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