re: Christmas dessert

Burnt Basque Cheesecake. My wife has made a lot of cheesecakes over the years, but this is the favorite.

Didn't see this reply until now. Here's the recipe I used.

Gingersnap Crust
7 1/2ounces gingersnaps (or 1½ cups finely ground gingersnap crumbs)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Process the gingersnaps, sugar, and melted butter in a food processor fitted with the metal blade until finely ground. Transfer the moistened crumbs into the prepared pan and press into an even layer. Bake until set, about 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while you prepare the filling.

Brown Butter Cheesecake Filling
#1 cream cheese (at room temperature, soft)
1/4 cup brown butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup brown sugar
1 vanilla bean scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Two large eggs

For the Brown Butter:
Melt 8oz of butter and cook until you make brown butter. Pour off 1/4 cup, making sure to get mostly the brown bits that setttle to the bottom.

For the Filling
Beat together the softened cream cheese, sugar, salt, browned butter, and vanilla bean scrapings until smooth and no lumps remain (you may have to scrape down the bowl a few times). Add the sour cream and beat until smooth, scraping down as needed. Add the eggs and beat to just combine. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumpy bits.

Place the cheesecake in its water bath in the oven and bake for at least an hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Shut off the oven but leave the cheesecake inside, prop open the oven door to let it cool for at least 30 minutes. Leave it out at room temperature for another half hour then refrigerate. Chill overnight for best results.