PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE WITH CARAMEL SAUCE
Servings: Makes one 9-inch cake, serving 12
INGREDIENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS:
FOR THE CRUST:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Wrap a 9-inch springform pan twice with heavy duty aluminum foil, taking care to pull the foil all the way up the sides so that water cannot seep in from the water bath. Spray the bottom and sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine 1-1/4 cups of graham wafer crumbs with ¼ cup of melted butter or margarine.
Add 1tsp. sugar and a dash of cinnamon. Mix and spread evenly over the bottom of the springform pan. Bake about 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while you prepare the filling.
FOR THE FILLING:
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin
- 1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup heavy cream, cold
- 3 8- ounce packages of cream cheese, room temperature
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
Bring about 4 quarts of water to a simmer in a tea kettle (this will be used for the water bath). In a small heavy saucepan, stir together the pumpkin, sugar cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a sputter, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, until thick, bronzed and shiny. Scrape the mixture into a large food processor fitted with the metal blade and process for 1 minute with the feed tube open.
With the motor running, add the cold cream. Add the cream cheese (cut in chunks) and process for about 30 seconds, scraping the sides if necessary, or until smoothly incorporated. Add the eggs and process for about 5 seconds or just until incorporated. (Do not overmix!).
Set the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour the batter into the cooled crust, and then pour enough boiling water into the large roasting pan to come about halfway up the side of the cake pan. Bake until the cake is just set, about 1-1/2 hours. If it jiggles, it’s not done. Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and set on a wire rack. Use a paring knife to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Cool until the water is just warm, about 45 minutes. Remove the springform pan from the water bath, discard the foil and set on a wire rack. Continue to cool at room temperature until barely warm, about 3 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
FOR THE CARAMEL SAUCE:
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/8 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ cup heavy cream, plus more if necessary
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Stir the sugar, corn syrup, water and lemon juice together in a 2-cup microwave-safe measuring cup or medium glass bowl. Microwave until the caramel is pale
yellow, or just barely starting to take on some color, 4-8 minutes,( depending on the strength of your microwave).It’s fine to stop and open the microwave to check often: just don’t let it get too dark or it will burn. Let the caramel sit for about 5 minutes---it will gradually turn a rich amber color. (If after 5 minutes, it’s not dark enough, place it back in the microwave for thirty seconds or so, then let it darken again. If it gets too dark, start over.
In the meantime, heat the cream in the microwave until hot. Once the caramel reaches the right color, add the hot cream a few tablespoons at a time. It will bubble up intensely, but won’t overflow. After you’ve added all the cream, stir to incorporate then add the butter. Add more cream if the mixture seems too thick. Once the caramel cools, you can store it in the fridge.
FOR SERVING:
Remove the outer ring from the springform pan. Slide a thin metal spatula between the crust and pan bottom to loosen, then slide the cheesecake onto a serving platter. If there is condensation on the top of the cheesecake, blot it gently with a flat paper towel. Let the cheesecake stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then cut in wedges. Warm up the caramel sauce in the microwave(it stiffens in the fridge). If it’s too thick, add more heavy cream to thin it out. Drizzle the caramel sauce over each piece of cheesecake and top with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream if desired.
PUFF PASTRY CORNUCOPIAS WITH PUMPKIN-COCONUT MOUSSE
CORNUCOPIA INGREDIENTS:
- 6-sugar ice cream cones
- vegetable cooking spray
- All-purpose flour
- 1 sheet (1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package) frozen puff pastry
- Sugar (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Wrap each cone tightly in aluminum foil, covering it completely and tucking any excess foil into the cone cavity. Spray the foil cones with the cooking spray. Set aside.
Lightly flour your work surface. Unfold the pastry sheet onto the work surface. Cut the pastry sheet to form 3 rectangles, then cut each rectangle lengthwise into 4 strips, making 12 strips total.
Press the ends of 2 pastry strips together. Starting at the pointed end of the cone, wind the pastry strip around 1 cone, slightly overlapping the edges of the pastry. The pastry will not reach the top of the cone. Spray the cone with the cooking spray and sprinkle with sugar, (optional.) Place the pastry cone on its side, with the end of the strip facing down, onto a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Place in the fridge until ready to cook. Repeat with the remaining pastry strips.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the pastries are golden brown. Let them cool completely on a wire rack. Carefully remove the foil cones.
PUDDING INGREDIENTS:
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 (3.4 ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix
- ¾ cup canned pumpkin
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup cold whipping cream
- ½ cup caramel topping, warmed
- ½ cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
Beat the coconut milk, pudding mix, pumpkin and cinnamon in a medium bowl with a whisk until the mixture is thickened.
Beat the whipping cream on high speed until soft peaks form, Fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture, then spoon or pipe the mixture into the pastry cones.
Place the pastries on a serving plate, drizzle the pastries with the caramel sauce and sprinkle with the toasted coconut.
