Pumpkin Cheesecake

By -
This rich and creamy cheesecake is all sorts of decadent,all the flavors of pumpkin pie, in a cheesecake.The texture is absolutely perfect – creamy, thick, smooth and it slices beautifully. Don’t let the idea of making a cheesecake scare you, it is simple to make, just be sure to make it a day before you need it! A delicious sweet treat for just about any occasion, I hope you love it as much as we did!



Ingredients

Crust
2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup to 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted ( 3/4 cup for a moist and dense crust)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt, divided

Pumpkin Cheesecake
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 lb (four 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, softened (900 gr.)
1/4 cup sour cream/Greek yogurt, room temperature
1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Whipped cream
Chopped pecans, optional



 Crust
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spray a 10-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray and wrap the bottom with tin foil.
In a large bowl mix together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, 1/4 cup of the sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, then remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.

Pumpkin Cheesecake
Reduce the oven temperature to 325° F.  

In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. (You can also use a stand mixer)
Add 2 1/2 cups sugar and mix well.
Beat in the sour cream, then add the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, 1 teaspoon salt and the spices and mix until just combined.
Pour into the cooled crust.
Place your pan into a roasting pan and fill halfway with water.
Bake for about 1 hour 45 minutes the turn off the oven and open the door to let out some heat then close again and leave the cheesecake in the oven for about an hour.
Remove from oven and out of the roasting pan and let cool to room temp.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Remove cheesecake from springform and top with dollops of whipped cream and chopped pecans. (optional)

*Having the cream cheese at room temperature is key to a smooth and creamy texture.
*Baking it in a water bath provides a more even bake and keeps the cheesecake moist and helps prevent cracking.
*To bake using a water bath, you will need a baking pan that is large enough to hold a springform pan (or other baking dish wrapped in foil to avoid any water from seeping into the pan which would make the cheesecake crust too wet), and is also large enough to allow for water to surround to mid of the springform pan.
*Wrapping foil around the outside is an important step. I usually lay two pieces of foil crisscrossed on the counter then place my springform pan in the center and crumple up the foil on the sides, making it as tight as possible. You don’t want any water to leak through.
recipe found here 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Grandmother's Alcatra de Carne

By -
Image
“Alcatra” is a traditional dish from Terceira, the island I live on. It is a pot roast that is cooked in large unglazed red clay pots. The pots are seasoned, and with each use get darker, and darker.  The simple spices, combined with onions, bacon and wine are what make this dish  flavorfull and so good. "Alcatra" is the Arabic word for "piece", and  it is  made with pieces of beef (round, shank, chuck). The additon of meat with bone in, makes all the difference, as the bones will give it more flavor. Every village, and everybodies grandmother has a different recipe for Alcatra, this one happens to be my grandmother's version. Shortly after I married, I took all of my ingredients, a notebook and pen over to my maternal grandmother's house. Where, while she put everything together, I wrote down her words of wisdom. Now I must say, she may or may not have forgotten something, but I follow this recipe as is, I don't mess arond with it, it's her recipe, ...
Read more

Lapas Grelhadas- Grilled Limpets

By -
Image
What are lapas you ask? They are limpets, a shellfish, think clams, but  with only one shell and so much better, they taste of the sea when eaten raw, right out of the shell. Perhaps eating a raw limpet is not your thing, then lapas grelhadas is sure to be! Easy to prepare, the lapas are grilled and served in their own shells; resulting in a savory, and divine dish. Great as a starter or as a lazy summer afternoon meal. I promise that you will enjoy this  Azorean delicacy. Fresh Lapas Butter, soft, I like salted Garlic, minced Massa de Malagueta or Piri Piri/Tabasco/Sriracha Lemon Wedges -Clean the lapas, removing any debris, sand etc. -Next decide how you want to grill them, on the stove top, use a griddle or large frying pan, in the oven or BBQ use a large cookie sheet. They all work, and taste great! -Carefully, arrange the lapas, shell down (cupped side down, this means the juices won’t spill out), on the pan, cookie sheet or griddle you will be...
Read more

Canja de Galinha

By -
Image
Canja is my favorite soup in the whole entire world! I know that sounds childlike, but that's exactly how I feel when I eat this beautiful rice and chicken soup. It just takes me back to being a little girl, sitting at my grandfather's kitchen table, eating a bowl of my grandmother's canja and drinking a bottle of  fizzy orange pirolito. When ever we arrived here on the island for our holiday's, canja was one of the many dishes, that was part of the big family lunch at my maternal grandparent's home. I make it for my family because they enjoy it, but I tend to make it for myself when I am a little under the weather, or just feeling saudades. Canja is love in a bowl, like a great big warm hug, comfort at it's best. Like any portuguese dish, there are a million and one ways to make this. Some call for the use of cumin, others the addition of potatoes. This is how I make it, these simple flavors, are the closest to what my grandmother's  and my mom's Ca...
Read more