Today is Saturday, October 6th 2012.
Tomorrow my family is celebrating Thanksgiving at my sister Shelsea`s house, so I am baking a Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Gingersnap Cookie and Pecan Crust. Believe it or not, it smells better than it sounds! There is 5 min left on its bake time in the oven, but it will still have to sit inside with the oven off to help it cool down slowly to avoid cracks. I don`t know if I can trust my boyfriend home with it still in the oven while I`m at work. If anyone knows a way to chain up the oven, let me know! PAWS OFF BOYFRIEND! Sadly, we BOTH have to wait until tomorrow night to indulge this Creamy Pumpkin Masterpiece! Well, I probably shouldn't call it a masterpiece quite yet, I have not seen the final product of this cake, although I have made a few last year that looked pretty dang good! Instead of bragging about the unfinished dessert, I will let you in on the secret of its recipe!
Tomorrow my family is celebrating Thanksgiving at my sister Shelsea`s house, so I am baking a Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Gingersnap Cookie and Pecan Crust. Believe it or not, it smells better than it sounds! There is 5 min left on its bake time in the oven, but it will still have to sit inside with the oven off to help it cool down slowly to avoid cracks. I don`t know if I can trust my boyfriend home with it still in the oven while I`m at work. If anyone knows a way to chain up the oven, let me know! PAWS OFF BOYFRIEND! Sadly, we BOTH have to wait until tomorrow night to indulge this Creamy Pumpkin Masterpiece! Well, I probably shouldn't call it a masterpiece quite yet, I have not seen the final product of this cake, although I have made a few last year that looked pretty dang good! Instead of bragging about the unfinished dessert, I will let you in on the secret of its recipe!
Ingredients
Crust
I usually taste the batter before I pour it into the pan just to make sure the spices are the perfect ratio! So add more cinnamon if that's your favorite flavor, or more nutmeg for a more festive taste. I know there are raw eggs in there, but common, really, who has not eaten half the batch of raw cookie dough before putting them in the oven.... ya that's what I thought!
The Marbling Effect! ooohhhh Ahhhhh
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies - use food processor or magic bullet ( add more if you want your crust to cover the sides of your cake, its also a great contrast of texture)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
Cake Mixture
- 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup white sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 eggs - room temperature
- 1 1/3 cup canned pumpkin ( E.D. Smith)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
I usually taste the batter before I pour it into the pan just to make sure the spices are the perfect ratio! So add more cinnamon if that's your favorite flavor, or more nutmeg for a more festive taste. I know there are raw eggs in there, but common, really, who has not eaten half the batch of raw cookie dough before putting them in the oven.... ya that's what I thought!
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix together the crushed gingersnap cookies, pecans, and butter. Press into the bottom, and about 1 inch up the sides of a 9 inch spring-form pan. Bake crust 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla just until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time, blending well after each. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture. Blend 1/4 cup sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, ground cloves, ginger and nutmeg into the remaining mixture.
- Spread the pumpkin flavored batter into the crust, and drop the plain batter by spoonfuls onto the top. Swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect.
- Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until filling is set.( Check at 30 min) Turn off oven. Leave cake in for another 30 min to cool down slowly to avoid cracking. (crack the oven door slightly if desired) Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Allow to cool before removing pan rim. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
The Marbling Effect! ooohhhh Ahhhhh
Happy Thanksgiving! Now get in the kitchen and start experimenting!