Hot Buttered Rum Cheesecake with Brown Sugar-Rum Sauce

 

1 1/4

cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4

cup butter or margarine, melted

5

packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

1 1/4

cups granulated sugar

1/3

cup whipping cream

2

tablespoons rum

1/4

teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8

teaspoon ground cloves

1/8

teaspoon ground nutmeg

3

eggs

1/2

cup packed brown sugar

1/4

cup butter or margarine

1/3

cup whipping cream

1/4

cup rum

1/4

cup golden raisins, if desired

• 1 Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, mix crust ingredients. Press firmly in bottom of ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• 2 While crust is cooling, in large bowl, beat all filling ingredients except eggs with electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until smooth. On low speed, beat in eggs until well blended. Pour over crust; smooth top.
• 3 Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes or until edge is set and center is still soft. Turn off oven; leave oven door open about 4 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven; cool in pan on cooling 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; continue refrigerating at least 9 hours but no longer than 48 hours.
• 5 In 1 1/2-quart saucepan, mix sauce ingredients. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened.
• 6 To serve, run metal spatula along side of cheesecake to loosen again; remove side of pan. Serve with warm sauce. Store cheesecake and sauce covered in refrigerator.