NePA Smokeout II Cheesecake (Bourbon Pecan Cheesecake)
Note - I'm putting some comments down below based on changes I made for the NEPAS III smokeout
I’m going to post it as I did it but will put my notes in as to what I will do different next time
Before you start:
- Preheat pellet grill or oven to 350 degrees
- Wrap foil on bottom and up the sides of a of 9” spring-form pan (outside of pan). This is to keep water from getting inside pan while in water bath.
- Butter the bottom & insides of pan
Crust:
12 oz oreos
6 oz melted butter -
I did not measure but I used less than this, probably more like 4 ozThrow in food processor until finely ground
Spread in 9” cheesecake pan on bottom & about ½ way up sides
(the recipe that I modeled this after called for 16 oz of oreos and it was too much, 12 oz may even be too much but should be closer)
Filling:
24 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 large eggs
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
1½ tablespoons bourbon
doubled this for the NEPAS III one, double is betterPlace 8 oz of cream cheese in mixer bowl with 1/3 of sugar & cornstarch - mix until smooth & creamy. Add another 8 oz cream cheese & beat until smooth, then add remaining cream cheese beating until smooth. Scrape with spatula often. Then mix in the rest of the sugar , bourbon & vanilla. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each one. Add the heavy cream and mix just until smooth (do not over mix)
Pour batter into the prepared crust.
Topping (baked on topping) (this is where I will make the major change – I will omit this entire step next time)
this sank to bottom this time, I will not use this any longer3 large eggs, beaten
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
8 tsp corn syrup (I used dark corn syrup)
2 tablespoons bourbon
½ tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
¾ cup rough chopped pecans (I used smoked pecans)
Mix all together except pecans. Sprinkle pecans on top of cheesecake batter. Pour topping over cheesecake batter.
(I don’t think this added anything to the cheesecake, I will do without this baked on topping when I do again. This topping browned too fast, I covered with foil but the cheesecake was too high and the topping stuck to the foil making for a bad presentation. Later I decided to do the topping below that is just spooned on the cheesecake while serving)
Place in pan big enough to hold spring-form pan – I use a roasting pan. Pour boiling water in the roasting pan to come up about ½ way up the spring-form pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 75 minutes until the top just barely jiggles (It took about 20 minutes longer in the Traeger due to temperature fluctuations). Carefully take pan out of water-bath and put on cooling rack. Let cool for 2 hours in pan. After 2 hours put in fridge until totally chilled (I usually a night or two ahead).
Caramel, bourbon, pecan topping (I missed getting a picture of this):
Jar of caramel ice cream topping (I used Mrs. Richardsons caramel butterscotch , I think it’s probably 20 oz jar)
2 Tablespoons bourbon (or enough to thin it out enough to be able to spoon over cheesecake)
Chopped pecans (I used smoked pecans)
Mix all together . Serve over chilled cheesecake slices.
prepping the pecans (smoked with pecan pellets)
the crust & foil wrapped pan
the batter in the pan
prepping the topping (I'll skip this in the future)
in the Traeger
45 minute mark
cooling
