SPICED PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE with ORANGE-GINGERSNAP CRUST

Mr Cardinal, what do you think of my pumpkin cheesecake?  Is it rich, sweet and moist, with a velvety cream cheese softness and with pumpkin and cinnamon-spice overtones?  Is it all that and more, is it exactly what a pumpkin cheesecake should look and taste like?  I think Mr Cardinal is saying yes. 

  

Last year this recipe came out kind of mushy. Good taste but mushy texture. Lovely topping, lovely crust, but the pumpkin and cheese part secretly wanted to be soup and were only pretending at being a cheesecake. I learned a valuable lesson: don't rush when baking! Give the cheesecake enough time to cool down. And if you make pumpkin cheesecake only once a year, like I do, rely on your notes for the recipe and don't try to wing it. Because if a year has gone by since you last made this, chances are you won't remember what you're supposed to be winging.

  

Ah, the joy a two-year-old brings to one's life...  Gracie and dad Joe opening up Christmas presents!

Our Layla celebrates her birthday on December 26th.  That's one of the several cakes she got for her 17th birthday.  And my nephew, Alex, would not let go of the Bauer hockey stick I gave him for Christmas. He taped it right away and wanted to use it right away. His dad (my brother) had to hide it so that we could all sit down to dinner.

Starting as early as late August, a large variety of pumpkin flavoured foods begin to make their appearance. There's pumpkin coffee, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin ice cream, and I've even run into pumpkin-and-spice flavoured almonds. But in my estimation, when it comes to pumpkin, nothing beats the comforting taste of pumpkin cheesecake. I make one either at Thanksgiving or Christmas, both being perfect holidays to enjoy the taste of pumpkin. The recipe I use is one I've stayed with for a long time because it makes a sumptuous, rich, and magnificent cheesecake! It has a smooth and velvety texture into which is incorporated the subtle flavour of pumpkin. Complementary spices and an orange flavoured gingersnap crust harmonise together to enhance the taste of this cheesecake. The topping is made with vanilla-scented sour cream. What could be better? Here's the recipe:

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake with Orange-Gingersnap Crust

    For the crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup crushed good quality gingersnap cookies
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

    For the pumpkin cheesecake filling:
2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (plain pumpkin, not seasoned pie filling)
2 tablespoons unflavoured gelatine
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3 (8-ounce) packets of cream cheese
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
6 large eggs
2  1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

    For the sour cream topping:  
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

    To make the crust:

• Have all the ingredients ready and at room temperature. Place the rack in the centre of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.  Keep the oven on while making the cake. 
• Grease a 9-inch springform pan and wrap the outside well, using 2 layers of heavy-duty aluminium foil.  
• In a medium-sized bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, crushed ginger cookies, and melted butter.  (If you like, save about 2 tablespoons of the mixture to use as decoration for the top of the cheesecake). 
• Press the crumb mixture evenly on the bottom and sides of the pan.  Bake for 10 minutes, until the crust is almost firm when pressed. Transfer to a wire rack to let cool while the filling is being prepared.

To make the filling:

• Wrap the springform pan base with aluminium foil; the cheesecake will be baked in a water bath, therefore the foil will keep water from entering the pan. 
• Remove the excess moisture from the pumpkin: line a large colander with several layers of paper towels. Spoon the pumpkin onto the towels. Top with more layers of paper towels and press down to squeeze as much liquid as possible from the pumpkin. Repeat until the pumpkin resembles a paste. 
• In a microwave-safe bowl add the water and over it sprinkle the gelatine. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the cream and microwave for 1 minute. Make sure the gelatine is completely dissolved. Stir again and set aside.
• In the bowl of a mixer combine the cream cheese, the sugars, the ginger, the cinnamon and the allspice. Beat on low, gradually increasing the speed to medium. Beat for 5 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, until the mixture is smooth.   
• Add the pumpkin, beating until incorporated. 
• Beat in the vanilla and the cream-gelatine mixture.  Keep beating until everything is mixed well.   
• Pour the filling into the crust, spreading it evenly. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Place in a roasting pan and transfer into the preheated oven. Add hot water to the roasting pan, enough so that it comes about 1 inch up the sides of the (foil covered) springform pan.  
• Bake for half an hour. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and continue baking about 60 minutes longer or until the filling barely jiggles in the centre and springs back when the surface is tapped. 
• Turn off the oven and transfer the cake to a wire rack.  For safety, don't remove the pan from the hot water until the water has cooled down. 
• Once removed from the water, let the cheesecake stand for 15 minutes and then run a paring knife around its circumference to loosen it from the sides of the pan.  This will help prevent the cheesecake from cracking.  Cover it and let it cool overnight.  

It's Christmas morning, and it's time to put some makeup on this cheesecake!

• Remove from the springform pan and spread the sour cream topping over the cheesecake. (Recipe for the topping is below). Additional decorations can be used, such as pecans or cookie crumbs. 

    To make the sour cream topping:

In a small bowl add the sour cream, the brown sugar and the vanilla.  Mix thoroughly, until the sugar has dissolved and the topping is well blended.

This recipe is based on one from "The All American Dessert Book," by Nancy Baggett © 2005 (pp. 80-82).