Fall Food Post
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Originally uploaded by cheesecakenyc. This weekend we enjoyed a sumptious autumn repast with cordelia_v and her family. I made a pumpkin cheesecake and a Waldorf salad.
I had never tasted a pumpkin cheesecake, much less made one, but when I started talking about a fancy dessert, Emerson popped up to remind me that I had not made a cheesecake since his birthday in April. I went off in search of recipes, and as is my wont, ended up cobbling together several bits and pieces to get my final plan in order. I'm very glad I opted for the ginger snap crust, though next time I will definitely crush the cookies in my blender. Ginger snaps are significantly harder and less crumbly than graham crackers, and I made quite a racket trying to smash them with a rolling pin. The resulting bits were still really a bit too large, but they worked.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Crust:
2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies
1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
1/3 cup butter, melted
Filling:
24 oz cream cheese (3 large packs), softened
1-1/4 cup light brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
16 oz. pumpkin (1 can - NOT pumpkin pie mix)
Preheat the oven to 300 F and butter the sides of a 10" springform pan.
In a medium bowl, combine the crumbs and nuts and then pour the melted butter over and mix well. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom and partway up the sides of the springform. Bake for ten minutes to set, then remove and set aside.
In a very large bowl, cream the cream cheese and brown sugar together. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the flavorings. Lastly, add the canned pumpkin and beat until smooth and well blended.
Pour the batter into the pan and bang the sides a few times to make sure there are no bubbles. Use a spatula to even out the distribution and smooth the top surface.
Bake for one hour, or until the top begins to brown around the edges. Cool thoroughly before removing the outer ring to serve.
To make the jack-o-lantern decoration, cut the jack-o-lantern shape out of waxed paper and lay it on top of the cake. Then mix one teaspon each of cocoa powder, cinnamon, and brown sugar and blend well. Use a tea strainer or fine seive to sprinkle an even layer of the powdered ingredients over the exposed areas of the cake, then carefully lift off the stencil.
In addition to my rich, rich dessert, I made a healthy seasonal side dish. This one is an adaptation of an old family favorite. The acid in the yogurt dressing keeps the fruit from turning brown.
Waldorf Salad
4 small Gala apples, cored and chopped, peels left on
6 ribs celery, chopped
20 baby carrots, cut in coins
2 cups red seedless grapes
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp. cinnamon
8 oz. fat-free vanilla yogurt
Mix all the fruit and vegetables together in a big bowl. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nuts. Pour yogurt on top and toss until everything is evenly coated.