Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Souffle Food

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE AND CHOCOLATE CANNOLIS

Steps:

• Place the chocolate chips in a large metal bowl set over a pot of boiling water (a double-boiler). Allow the chocolate to melt, with minimal stirring, 5 to 7 minutes. Take each cannoli shell and dip each end of the shell in the chocolate. Allow the excess chocolate to drip off and lay the shells out on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper or a wire rack so they don't stick.
• Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until it is light and pale yellow in color. Add the cream cheese and beat until well combined. Add the pumpkin puree, confectioners' sugar, spices and lemon juice. Mix until well combined. Place the filling in a piping bag fitted with a medium-size tip. Chill to allow the cheesecake filling to firm up, 15 to 20 minutes. When the mixture is firm, pipe the filling into the chocolate-dipped cannoli shells.

PUMPKIN-CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in center. Bring a small pot of water (about 8 cups) to a boil. Assemble a 9-by-3-inch springform pan with raised side of bottom part facing up.
• For the Crust: In a food processor, grind wafers until fine (you should have 1 1/3 cups). Add butter, sugar, and salt; pulse until evenly moistened. Press evenly into bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of pan. Refrigerate 10 minutes. Bake until fragrant and firm, about 12 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack; reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• For the Filling: Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth; add flour and beat to combine. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and salt; beat to combine. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition.
• Wrap springform pan in foil (to keep water from seeping in during baking); place in a roasting pan. Pour filling into crust. Place roasting pan in oven, add boiling water to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until pie is puffed around edges and just a tiny bit wobbly in center, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Transfer springform pan to wire rack; remove foil and let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edges and let cool completely on rack, about 4 hours. Transfer pan to refrigerator; cover loosely and chill at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• For the Caramel: Release sides of pan and remove cake. Cook sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Stop stirring and cook, swirling pan occasionally and brushing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush, until amber, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cream and salt (it will bubble up). Return to heat and simmer 1 minute, stirring to dissolve any hardened caramel. Stir in chocolate. Let cool 20 minutes, then pour over cake.
• Return cake to refrigerator until set, at least 30 minutes and up to overnight. For the cleanest slices when serving, use a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry after each.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE-PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, & coat an 8 inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Set out a roasting pan larger than the springform pan.
• FOR THE CRUST, put the crumbs in a small bowl, & stir in butter until evenly moistened.
• Press firmly over the bottom of the pan.
• Bake 8-10 minutes until set, then cool on a wire rack.
• Wrap the outside of the pan with heavy-duty foil.
• Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
• At this point, set 4-6 quarts of water on to boil [to be added to the roasting pan in which the springform pan will be placed ~ to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan].
• FOR THE FILLING, put the cream cheese, sugar & cornstarch in a large bowl, & beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, scraping sides of the bowl several times with a rubber spatula.
• Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, just until blended.
• Beat in sour cream & vanilla to combine, then divide the batter evenly between 3 medium bowls.
• Stir melted milk chocolate into the 1st bowl of batter, & pour this chocolate mixture into the crust in an even layer.
• Whisk pumpkin & pumpkin pie spice into the 2nd bowl of batter, then carefully spoon this mixture over the chocolate layer to cover, then gently smooth into an even layer with an offset spatula [do not let the two layers of batter run together].
• Stir semisweet chocolate into the 3rd bowl of batter, then carefully spoon it over the pumpkin layer, spreading carefully & evenly as indicated above.
• Set the springform pan in the center of the roasting pan, then place the roasting pan in the oven.
• Add boiling water, enough to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
• Bake 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours until set [to a point where the center still jiggles slightly when gently shaken ].
• Turn off the oven & leave the door closed, letting the cake cool in the oven for 1 hour. [If the cake hasn't pulled away from the sides of the pan, carefully run a thin knife around the edge of the pan to release the cake.]
• Remove the foil & cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack.
• Cover & refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
• FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE: In a small saucepan, stir the glaze ingredients over low heat until chocolate melts & mixture is smooth.
• Remove from heat, & cool slightly.
• Remove pan sides & place cake on a serving plate.
• Spread the glaze over the top, just to the edge. [You might even want some to drip down the side of the cake.].
• Refrigerate until glaze sets.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Wrap the outside of a springform pan with aluminum foil.
• Combine graham crackers, cocoa powder, 1 cup sugar, and butter in a food processor and pulse to fine consistency. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned and toasted, about 15 minutes.
• Remove crust from oven and spread chocolate chips in a single layer over the crust bottom, leaving 1/2-inch rim at edges; cool to room temperature.
• Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, scraping sides frequently to ensure evenness and no lumps. Beat in 1 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla extract, and maple extract; add pumpkin puree and beat to combine. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated and scraping the bowl each time. Add cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt; beat once more until well distributed.
• Pour filling over cooled crust. Place pie pan in a baking dish and gently pour boiling water into the baking dish to come half-way up sides of the springform pan.
• Bake in preheated oven until edges are puffed and surface of cheesecake is firm except for a small spot in the center that will jiggle when the pan is gently shaken, about 55 minutes. Turn off heat and allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature in the oven with the door open, about 1 hour. Refrigerate until completely chilled, about 2 hours.