Gentle readers (hee hee - I don't know who came up with that expression, but I love it!), do not be horrified by the above confession. If you've read any of my prior posts, you will remember that ease of execution trumps tediousness any day. So the thought of peeling, cutting, and cooking was enough to deter me from getting my "Grim Reaper" on with the neighborhood pumpkin posse. At least for now.
Below is a recipe for a Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust that I remember hearing about several Thanksgivings ago, no doubt from friends who were looking for an alternative to traditional pumpkin pie. The recipe comes from Bon Appetit, and can be found on the Epicurious website.
I will be the first to say that the idea of marshmallows and sour cream together was less than appealing, and I originally planned to omit the topping, opting for a dollop of whipped cream instead. But, as they say, even the best laid plans go awry. It turns out the marshmallow-sour cream topping was needed...not for additional flavor, but to camouflage the seemingly cavernous cracks that appeared in the top of the cheesecake while it was cooking.
Suffice it to say, prior to making the cheesecake, I should have read some of the comments that other readers had posted to the Epicurious website. Following is a Cliffs Notes version of the ones I found most helpful:
1. To prevent cracking, use a water bath -- wrap the bottom of the springform pan with tin foil, then place the whole thing in a shallow pan of water to bake.
2. The recipe calls for a 9-inch springform pan, but it makes more than enough filling for a 10-inch pan.
3. If you don't want the extra filling (I put mine in a small casserole and baked it like a custard), one reader suggests modifying the recipe slightly, using 20 ounces of cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar and 3 eggs (leaving all other ingredients/amounts in the recipe the same).
And now for my own personal recommendations:
1. I used homemade ginger snaps for the crust (I made the ginger cookie recipe from a previous post and left the cookies in a few minutes longer until nice and "snappy").
2. Maybe it was due to the fact that I used homemade ginger cookies, but I didn't find that the crystallized ginger or the pecans added anything to the crust. The next time I make this I will omit both and just use 3 cups of ginger snaps instead.
3. The marshmallow-sour cream topping doesn't end up tasting like marshmallow, but I still don't think it enhances the cheesecake. If all goes smoothly next time, I'll just garnish slices of the cheesecake with whipped cream.
Bon Appetit, November 2008
Serves 12
For the Crust:
Nonstick vegetable spray
2 cups gingersnap crumbs (about 9 ounces)
1 cup pecans
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Grind cookie crumbs, pecans, brown sugar, and ginger in processor until nuts are finely ground. Add butter; using on/off turns, process to blend. Transfer mixture to prepared pan; press onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of pan. Bake crust until set and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.
For the Filling:
4 8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 15 ounce can pure pumpkin
5 large eggs
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350°F. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in pumpkin. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating on low speed to incorporate each addition. Add flour, spices, and salt; beat just to blend. Beat in vanilla. Transfer filling to cooled crust. Bake until filling is just set in center and edges begin to crack (filling will move slightly when pan is gently shaken), about 1 hour 20 minutes. Cool 1 hour. Run knife around sides of pan to release crust. Chill cheesecake uncovered in pan overnight.
For the Topping:
2 cups mini marshmallows or large marshmallows cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
Stir marshmallows and milk in medium saucepan over low heat until marshmallows are melted. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt. Cool marshmallow mixture to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Add sour cream to marshmallow mixture; fold gently just to blend. Pour topping over cheesecake and spread evenly, leaving 1/2 inch uncovered around edges. Chill to set topping, at least 1 hour.
No comments:
Post a Comment