Contributed By: Unknown at the moment

Time:

Total: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 2 hours, 10 minutes
Yield: 20 servings

Ingredients:

For Crust

2 1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For Filling

32 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup eggnog, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

For Topping

8 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup eggnog
1/2 cup heavy cream
ground nutmeg, for garnish

Preparation:

Make Crust

Move the oven rack to the lower third position and heat the oven to 350°F.
Wrap the outer bottom of a 9-inch springform pan tightly with aluminum foil.
Combine the gingersnap crumbs, sugar, and melted butter.
Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and about 2-inches up the sides of the pan.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Set aside to cool while you make the filling.

Make Filling

Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
Add the sugar and eggnog, beat until well combined.
Add the vanilla, beat on low speed until smooth.
Using a silicone spatula, gently stir in the eggs just until combined.
Pour the batter over the prepared crust.
Fill a roasting pan with a few inches of boiling water and place the cheesecake in the center.

Make Topping

Whisk together the mascarpone cheese, confectioner's sugar, and eggnog until smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until blended.
Spoon over cheesecake slices. Lightly sprinkle with ground nutmeg if desired.

Tips:

Plan ahead!  Total time does not include chilling time.  The cheesecake needs to refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.  Oven temps can vary which means your cheesecake may need more time to bake.  You'll know it is done cooking when the outer edges of the cheesecake feel firm to the touch while the center looks wet and jiggles when shaken.  If the cheesecake doesn't look this way after an hour of cooking, let it cook until it does.  Then you can turn the oven off and let the cheesecake rest for another hour in the oven.