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Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

November 21, 2010 by · Comments Off on Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe 

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe, Sophie Remy, Pascal, Camille Benitah and Leo, aged 11, 9, 7, 5 and 3, respectively, of Bloomfield Township kid-tested this delicious cheesecake. It’s a great deviation from traditional pumpkin pie, but with the same familiar spices.

They topped the cheesecake with whipped cream house – the whipped cream with brown sugar and vanilla.
It’s fun to do, and it’s really delicious, “said Sophie.”I like the way it felt so soft and creamy.”

“Cooking is fun when you get moisture from the pumpkin,” Remy shared. “It was really good and creamy and sweet.”

“I liked the mixture of all the tricks to whipping cream, and I liked the food,” said Pascal.

“I liked putting the spices,” Leo said. “And it was fun making.”

“The pumpkin cheesecake is delicious,” says Camille.

Cheesecake Pumpkin Spice
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated, November 2003.

• Crust:

• 9 whole graham crackers, broken into chunks

• 3 tablespoons sugar

• 1 / 2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 / 2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1 / 4 c. teaspoon cloves

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• Filling:

• 1 1 / 3 cups sugar

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 / 2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1 / 4 c. teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 / 4 c. teaspoon allspice

• 1 / 4 c. teaspoon cloves

• 1 / 2 teaspoon salt

• 1 (15 ounces) pumpkin

• 4 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

Vanilla • 1 tablespoon of extract

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 5 eggs

• 1 cup heavy cream

Wash hands.

For crust: an oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 325 degrees. Coat bottom and sides of springform pan 9 inches with cooking spray. Pulse graham crackers, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a food processor until smooth and finely ground. Transfer crumbs to a medium bowl, pour the melted butter and mix until well moistened over. Put the crumbs into prepared pan and, using flat-bottomed glass, press crumbs evenly into pan bottom.

Smooth crumbs into edges of pan. Bake until fragrant and golden around the edges, about 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

For the filling: Bring water to simmer for about 4 quarts in a pot. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and salt in small bowl and set aside. Spread canned pumpkin on a baking sheet covered with a thick layer of paper towels, then cover with the second triple layer paper towels and press firmly until the towels are saturated. Push top layer of towels and discard. Flip pumpkin on a baking sheet.

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium speed about 1 minute. Scrape beater and bottom and sides of bowl with rubber spatula. Add about 1 / 3 of sugar mixture and beat at medium speed until combined-low, about 1 minute, scrape bowl and add the remaining sugar in 2 additions, scraping the bowl after each addition. Add pumpkin, vanilla, lemon juice and beat at medium speed until smooth, about 45 seconds, scrape bowl. Add 3 eggs and beat at medium-low until incorporated, about 45 seconds, scrape bowl. Add remaining 2 eggs and beat until incorporated, about 45 seconds, scrape bowl. Add cream and beat on low speed until blended, about 45 seconds. Using a rubber spatula, scraping bottom and sides of bowl and give final stir by hand.

Set springform pan 18 cm double-sided heavy layer sheet and the bottom and sides wrap, put in a roasting pan. Pour the filling into the springform pan and smooth surface; put pan in oven and pour enough boiling water to reach mid-sides of a mold. Bake until center of cake is slightly wobbly when pan is shaken, and the center of cake registers 145 to 150 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 1 1 / 2 hours. Set pan on rack and use paring knife to loosen cake from sides of pan. Cool the water is lukewarm, about 45 minutes. Remove the pan of water placed on a grid bathand; continue to cool until barely warm, about 3 hours. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.

To serve: Slide a thin metal spatula between the crust and the bottom of the tray to loosen, and then slide cake on a serving platter. Allow the cheesecake to room temperature about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.

Yields 16 servings.

Per serving: 331 calories, 22 g fat (13 g saturated fat, 60 percent calories from fat), 28 g carbohydrate, 130 mg cholesterol, 232 mg sodium, 5 g protein, 1 g fibers.

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