Hot Buttered Rum Cheesecake

Dazzle your guests with a rich and indulgent lightly spiced and rum-flavored cheesecake. MORE + LESS -

cup finely crushed shortbread cookies (about 10 cookies)

tablespoons packed brown sugar

tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1 1/4

cups granulated sugar

1/3

cup whipping (heavy) cream

tablespoon rum extract

1/4

teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8

teaspoon ground cloves

1/8

teaspoon ground nutmeg

eggs

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1

Heat oven to 325ºF. Mix crushed cookies, brown sugar and butter. Press firmly in bottom of ungreased springform pan, 9x3 inches.
2

In large bowl, beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, whipping cream, rum extract, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg with electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until smooth. Beat in eggs on low speed until well blended. Pour over crust; smooth top.
3

Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes. Turn off oven; leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan on wire rack away from drafts 30 minutes.
4

Without releasing or removing side of pan, run metal spatula carefully along side of cheesecake to loosen. Refrigerate uncovered about 3 hours or until chilled; cover and continue refrigerating at least 9 hours but no longer than 48 hours.
5

Run metal spatula along side of cheesecake to loosen again; remove side of pan. Store cheesecake covered in refrigerator.

After baking, the cheesecake may not appear to be done; if a small area in the center seems soft, it will become firm as the cheesecake cools. Do not insert a knife to test for doneness because the hole could cause the cheesecake to crack.
Top cheesecake with purchased caramel topping and garnished with toasted pecan halves.