Gingerbread Cheesecake

Instructions

For the Brown Butter

Add the butter to a pot and heat it over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and come to a simmer. Simmer until the butter is foamy, giving off a nutty scent and has browned. The whole process should take about 10 minutes. Remove the butter from the heat.
1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter
Measure out 1/2 cup (120 ml) of melted brown butter. This will be used for the crust. The remaining brown butter will be used for the cheesecake batter.

For the Crust

Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C).
Prepare your 9-inch springform pan for its later water bath by wrapping the bottom and sides with a decent amount of tinfoil. You want to make sure the tinfoil goes up about two inches on the sides of the pan so no water seeps into the pan as it bakes. I always use too much (around 8 layers) just so I know it’ll be okay.
(I have also tried a new method recently- If you have a 10-inch cake pan that your springform pan can fit inside of, you can use this instead of wrapping the bottom with tinfoil. The 10 inch pan will sit inside of the large roasting pan and the cheesecake pan will sit inside of the 10 inch pan. The hot water will go in the roasting pan around the 10 inch pan leaving the cheesecake pan untouched by water! I hope this makes sense, like a box within a box within a box.)
Pulse the gingersnap cookies together in a food processor until they are finely ground.
44 gingersnap cookies (285 g)
Then add in the melted brown butter and brown sugar and pulse until combined.
1/2 cup (120 ml) brown butter from above, 2 tbsp (28 g) brown sugar
Press the gingersnap cookie crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, about 1 inch. (A ¼ measuring cup really helps with this step).
Bake the crust for 10 minutes and then let it cool completely while working on the cheesecake batter.

For the Gingerbread Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C) if not still preheated.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the cream cheese, brown sugar and cornstarch together with a paddle attachment for two minutes on medium speed until everything is smooth and there are no lumps. (You can alternatively use a hand mixer). Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure everything has been mixed well.
32 oz (907 g) cream cheese, softened at room temperature, 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar, packed, 3 tbsp (24 g) cornstarch
Add in the rest of the brown butter, sour cream, molasses, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and cloves. Mix for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl again.
the rest of the brown butter from above, 1/3 cup (82 g) sour cream, at room temperature, 1/4 cup (85 g) molasses, 2 tsp vanilla, 1 tbsp ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground allspice, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cloves
At this point, stop and put a pot of water on the stove to start boiling. You will want enough water to go about 1 ½ inches up the sides of the springform pan.
Next add in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time to the cheesecake batter. Mix on low speed, ensuring that each is fully mixed in before adding the next. As soon as the last one is fully mixed in, turn off the mixer. Do not over mix the batter.
3 eggs, at room temperature, 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
Pour the batter into the prepared pan with the crust.
Place the cheesecake in a large roasting pan in the oven. Slowly pour the boiling water into the pan around the cheesecake being careful not to splash the cheesecake.
(If you're using the 10-inch pan method, place the cheesecake in the 10-inch pan, then place the 10-inch pan in the large roasting pan. Pour water around the 10-inch pan.)
Bake at 350° F (175° C) for 1 hour. When 1 hour is up, turn off the oven and crack the oven door open using a wooden utensil. Let the cheesecake stay in the oven for 1 more hour. The cheesecake will continue to bake as it is cooling.
Once the 2 hours are up, remove the cheesecake from the oven and go around the edges of the pan with a butter knife to loosen the crust from the sides of the pan. Let the cheesecake cool completely on the counter, and then refrigerate until completely cold, 8 hours or overnight.
Once the cheesecake has chilled, carefully remove it from the springform pan and transfer it to a serving plate.

For the White Chocolate Gingerbread Ganache

Add the chopped white chocolate and cream to a double boiler. Heat over medium heat until melted together. (Alternatively you can microwave in 10 second intervals, stirring each time, until all is melted together.)
4.5 oz (127 g) white chocolate bar, chopped, 3 tbsp (45 ml) heavy cream
Add in the molasses, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. Stir to combine.
1/2 tbsp molasses, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, pinch of nutmeg, pinch of allspice, pinch of cloves

For the Whipped Cream

Add the heavy cream and powdered sugar to a bowl. Mix on high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, about 1-2 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment.) Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag fit with a decorative tip.
3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream, 1/4 cup (34 g) powdered sugar

Assembling the Cheesecake

Pour the white chocolate gingerbread ganache on top of the cheesecake. Use a mini offset spatula to smooth out the ganache. Return the cheesecake to the fridge for about 10 minutes, or until the ganache is set.
Once the ganache is set, remove the cheesecake from the fridge and pipe whipped cream around the edges of the cheesecake. Top with mini gingerbread men and sugared cranberries, serve and enjoy! Store the left overs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Ingredients

For the Brown Butter

For the Gingersnap Crust

For the Gingerbread Cheesecake

For the Gingerbread Ganache

For the Whipped Cream

Instructions

For the Brown Butter

For the Crust

For the Gingerbread Cheesecake

For the White Chocolate Gingerbread Ganache

For the Whipped Cream

Assembling the Cheesecake