Pecan Pie Cheesecake

June. The school year is ending and the after-school program at New Hope AME wraps up this week, which means Kezia will have her Saturdays fully free for the summer. She has asked to come more often and I have said yes, obviously, because the summer kitchen is the best kitchen — the tomatoes are coming, the peaches will arrive in July, the humidity makes the bread dough behave differently and there is something to learn in that.

I have been thinking about what to do with the recipe collection I've been building. I have thirty-seven recipes now, written with full instructions, the kind that could be followed by someone who has never made them before — my mother's, Bernice's, Cousin Rosemary's, Shanice's grandmother's, and a few of my own original versions that have developed over years of cooking. This is not nothing. Destiny says I should do something with it. She said it in the way she says things when she has a specific suggestion in mind that she is waiting to say until I'm ready to hear it.

I asked her what she had in mind. She said, have you thought about a recipe booklet? Printed, bound, a few copies for family. Not a publication project, just a document. Something physical that lives on a shelf and can be handed down. I thought about it for three days. Then I said yes. She said, I'll help you design it. I said, all right. I said, but it needs Bernice's photograph on the front. She said, obviously. That was the whole negotiation, which went more smoothly than any other negotiation I have had in my life.

When I think about which recipes belong in that booklet — the ones that have earned their place on a shelf, the ones someone might actually reach for in twenty years — this Pecan Pie Cheesecake is near the top of the list. It came out of one of those Thanksgiving experiments that worked so well it immediately stopped being an experiment and became a tradition, which is the only honest way a recipe enters the permanent collection. It is the kind of thing Bernice would have made a face about the first time she heard the description, and then eaten two slices without comment. I’m putting it in the booklet.

Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 1 hr 10 min | Total Time: 1 hr 40 min (plus chilling) | Servings: 12

Ingredients

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling:
24 oz (3 blocks) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pecan Pie Topping:
1 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Prepare the pan. Preheat oven to 325°F. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan tightly in two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Lightly grease the inside of the pan.
Make the crust. Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, chopped pecans, and melted butter in a bowl and stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake for 8–10 minutes until just set. Let cool while you prepare the filling.
Make the cheesecake filling. Beat the softened cream cheese on medium speed until completely smooth, about 2–3 minutes. Add the brown sugar and sour cream and beat until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low after each addition just until incorporated. Stir in vanilla and cinnamon. Do not overmix. Pour the filling over the cooled crust and smooth the top.
Bake in a water bath. Place the foil-wrapped springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches about 1 inch up the outside of the springform pan. Bake at 325°F for 55–65 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle. Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let the cheesecake rest inside for 30 minutes.
Cool and chill. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, run a thin knife around the edge to loosen it from the pan, and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Make the pecan pie topping. Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Whisk in the beaten eggs, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Stir in the pecan halves.
Cook the topping. Return the saucepan to medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 5–7 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, until it is thick enough to spoon without running.
Top and serve. Spoon the cooled pecan topping evenly over the chilled cheesecake. Return to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the topping to set. Release the springform ring, slice with a clean sharp knife (wiping between cuts), and serve.

Nutrition (per serving)

Pecan Pie Cheesecake — The Kind of Recipe That Belongs in a Booklet