Prep: 30 min. Serves 10 to 12
Bake: 1 hour 20 min.

To make the crust, you will need-
5 oz. chocolate wafer cookies
2 Tbs. sugar
5 Tbs. melted butter.

For the filling:
1 lb. cream cheese, room temp.
1 cup. sugar
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups heavy cream plus 1/3 of a cup
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, copped up

To make the crust:
Position the rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 350F.
In a food processor, pulse the cookies and sugar until finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until evenly moistened. Using your fingers, press the crumb mixture into the base and partway up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. A flat bottom glass will help pushing down the crumbs and on the side of the pan.

Bake this for about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack. Position the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and leave the oven on. When the pan is cooled off, wrap the bottom and sides with aluminum foil and set it in a large baking pan.(You are going to put it a bath!)

For the filling:

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add sugar and beat until combined. Mix in the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla until smooth. Mix in the eggs and cream just until well combined. Put that aside.
Heat the remaining 1/3 cup cream in a small saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil; remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and let stir together until melted. About 2 minutes.
pour the remaining pumpkin batter into the prepared crust. Using a spoon I dripped in the chocolate batter over the pumpkin batter. For the swirl look use a knife and swirl it around until you get the design you like.
Pour about 1 inch of boiling water into the baking pan. Bake until only the center of the cake jiggles, 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Remove from the water bath and foil and run a thin sharp knife around the cake. Cool completely on a rack. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for up to 8 (least) to 24 hours.
This is very good with a drop of whipped cream. ENJOY!!

My chocolate pumpkin cheesecake!