Candied Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1 pack Kunzler Original Bacon
• 6 T Brown Sugar
• 1 ½ C Graham Crackers
• ½ stick Butter, melted
• 4 T Bacon Fat, drained from candied bacon
• 24 oz. (3 Pack) Cream Cheese
• 9 oz. Brown Sugar
• 15 oz. can Pumpkin
• 2 t Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 T Vanilla Extract
• 4ea Eggs, beaten
• 1 C Sugar
• ½ C Heavy Cream
• 1 T Vanilla Extract
• 4 T Butter
• 1 C Heavy Cream
• 1 T Sugar
• ½ t Vanilla Extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Layout bacon on parchment lined sheet tray, lightly cover slices with brown sugar.
3. Bake bacon until golden brown, and the bacon is “candied” 16-18 minutes. Remove tray from oven and reduce to 310 F.
4. Drain the bacon fat from the tray (save 4 T for the graham cracker crust) set aside for garnish later. Cut into small pieces.
5. Grind graham crackers into fine crumbs. Place in mixing bowl. Add melted butter and reserved bacon fat.
6. Mix crust completely and press and form into a 10” spring form pan.
7. In another mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar. Mix completely until lump free.
8. Add the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and mix completely, add beaten eggs and vanilla.
9. Pour pumpkin cheesecake into the graham cracker crust and into the 310 F oven.
10. Bake in the oven until the cheesecake is completely “set”, between 60 – 90 minutes.
11. Allow the cheesecake to cool on counter for 45 minutes, then refrigerate overnight.
12. Following day carefully remove the cheesecake from spring form pan and set on cutting board.
13. Place cheesecake back in refrigerator, and prepare garnishes for serving. (optional, you can slice and serve without)
14. Make caramel sauce first by placing medium saucepot on medium high heat.
15. Add half sugar and allow to melt, add remaining sugar mix until lump free. Be very careful, melted sugar is very hot.
16. Keep hands clear as you add half the heavy cream. The sugar will be very hot and the cream will steam up from saucepot.
17. Stir very carefully while adding the remaining cream and continue to keep hands clear!
18. Continue mixing cream into the caramel until completely mixed. Remove from heat and add butter.
19. Combine Heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. In mixing bowl whip to stiff peaks.
20. Pull cheesecake from the refrigerator, slice into portions needed (approximately 14-18)
21. Plate, drizzle with caramel, top with whipped cream, sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice, and garnish with candied bacon.