~~~Leah and Alix~~~

Kalani

If you can, can you post your pumpkin cheesecake recipe for me? 

In the T-giving post below, I mentioned that I bought a pumpkin cheesecake from Costco.  I noticed that you both stated that you made a pumpkin cheesecake yourself.  I'd love to make a homemade one for the next occassion. 

Thanks!

lelekay

I got mine from www.allrecipes.com (Spiderweb Pumpkin Cheesecake), although I made a few changes.  The recipe is below exactly as written, but here are the changes I made:  I used regular graham crackers crumbs instead of the chocolate wafer crumbs for the crust (I prefer graham cracker to chocolate myself!).  And, for Thanksgiving, I didn't make the spiderweb garnishes.  I did make this for Halloween last year, and the spiderwebs were great, but not for Thanksgiving or any other time of year (imo)!

 

Ingredients1 3/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs1/4 cup butter or margarine, meltedFILLING:3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened3/4 cup sugar1/2 cup packed brown sugar3 eggs1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin2 tablespoons cornstarch3 teaspoons vanilla extract1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spiceTOPPING:2 cups sour cream3 tablespoons sugar2 teaspoons vanilla extractSPIDERWEB GARNISH:1 cup sugar1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar1/3 cup water4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, meltedDirectionsCombine wafer crumbs and butter; press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a greased 10-in. springform pan. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugars until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Whisk in pumpkin, cornstarch, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice just until blended. Pour into crust. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 60-65 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.Combine topping ingredients; spread over filling. Bake at 350 degrees F for 6 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minute. Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan; set aside.For spiderwebs, draw six 3-in. x 2-in. half circles on two sheets of parchment paper on top; tape both securely to work surface. In a saucepan, bring the sugar, cream of tartar and water to a boil over medium heat. Boil, without stirring, until mixture turns a light amber color and candy thermometer reads 350 degrees F. Immediately remove from the heat and stir. Cool, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes or until hot sugar mixture falls off a metal spoon in a fine thread.Using a spoon or meat fork, carefully drizzle syrup over half-circle outlines and inside the outlines to form spiderwebs; reheat syrup if needed. Cool completely. Place melted chocolate in a resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag. Pipe 1-in. spiders onto parchment or foil; cool completely. With remaining melted chocolate, pipe two or three dots on each web; attach spiders.Remove sides of springform pan. Cut cheesecake; place a web on top of each slice and remaining spiders on the side. Refrigerate leftovers.

 

beachbubbles

happy thanksgiving!

pumpkin cheesecake is my husband's FAVORITE!!  i am constantly tweaking my recipe so hear it goes.  Also I should add that this year i bought sugar pumpkins and roasted the pumpkins myself-too nervous about buying canned foods given that the can liners contain carcinogenic materials-but i will add as a disclaimer i am soooooo neurotic.

For crust

• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (from five 4 3/4- by 2 1/4-inch crackers)
• 1/2 cup pecans (1 3/4 ounces), finely chopped
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

okay i use gingersnaps sometimes in combination with graham crakers-i do not buy the crumbs and i throw everything into the food processor.  i lik e thicker crusts so generally i use a bit more cookies.  i always cut down on the sugar.  process everything and then press into a 9 inch springform pan.  Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 10 or so minutes

For filling

• 1 1/2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon bourbon liqueur or bourbon (optional)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Note:  I tend to go overboard on the spices but you can play around with this to determine what combo works best.  I always cut down on sugar.  Put a roasting pan filled with water in your oven and this will act like a steam injected oven and help prevent cracking on the cheesecake.

In a bowl whisk together the pumpkin, the egg, the cinnamon, the nutmeg,  the all spice and the cloves the ginger, the salt, and the brown sugar. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and the granulated sugar, beat in the cream, the cornstarch, the vanilla, the bourbon liqueur, and the pumpkin mixture, and beat the filling until it is smooth.

Pour the filling into the crust, bake the cheesecake in the middle of a preheated 350?F. oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the center is just set, and let it cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes.

For the topping

• 2 cups sour cream
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon bourbon liqueur or bourbon, or to taste
• In a bowl whisk together the sour cream, the sugar, and the bourbon liqueur.

  Spread the sour cream mixture over the top of the cheesecake and bake the cheesecake for 5 minutes more. Let the cheesecake cool in the pan on a rack and chill it, covered, overnight. Remove the side of the pan and garnish the top of the cheesecake with the pecans.

• Happy BAking

Kalani

Thank you both SO much!  I really appreciate the fact that you took time on this holiday to respond and be so detailed.  Hope that you both are having a wonderful Thanksgiving day!

P.S.  Alix, I didn't know that about cans!  I am very interested in any info such as this.  I am becoming much more aware of such exposures and we are so much more careful about what we consume and the items that we spend our $ on.        

beachbubbles

you are most welcome-really do give the baking a try-there is nothing like home baked cheesecake!

re: cans the liners of cans contain bishpenol which is very toxic and acts like a xenoestrogen.  i have become very aware of this because of my own endocrine problems and make a very strong effort to avoid these chemicals you can google this and read all about it.  my guess is that evenutally canned foods will go the way of the dinosaur.