Halloween Cheesecake Food

HALLOWEEN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9-inch springform pan.
• Process cookies in a food processor until reduced to coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 tablespoon for decoration; combine the rest with butter and sugar. Spread mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing down firmly to form a crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven until set, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove; reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (163 degrees C).
• Beat cream cheese and sugar together using an electric mixer until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add sour cream and vanilla extract. Blend well. Pour filling into the cooled crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven until center is nearly set, about 30 minutes. Turn off oven and leave cheesecake inside to cool, at least 30 minutes. Continue cooling in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Decorate with reserved cookie crumbs.

HALLOWEEN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For the brownie: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 10-by-15-inch baking dish (4 1/2 quart) with foil leaving a 2-inch over hang on at least two of the sides. Coat the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder and salt in a medium bowl. Melt the butter and semisweet chocolate in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sugar and then the eggs. Add the flour mixture in two batches and stir to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle the bittersweet chocolate chips evenly over the top of the brownie. Let sit for 5 minutes to melt slightly. Use and offset spatula to spread the chocolate over the brownie. Let the cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack, about 1 hour. Refrigerate until the chocolate is completely set, about 30 minutes. Use the foil overhang to help lift the brownie out of the pan.
• Lightly coat a 16-inch-long piece of parchment with nonstick cooking spray and place the brownie chocolate coating-side down (this helps to prevent the chocolate from cracking while cutting it). On one half of the brownie, trace the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a paring knife and cut out the circle. Fit the brownie circle, chocolate coating-side up, into the bottom of the springform pan and lock the side.
• For the Jack-o'-Lantern eyes: From the remaining brownie half, use the paring knife to cut out two 2 1/2-inch equilateral triangles.
• For the Jack-o'-Lantern nose: Cut one 2-inch equilateral triangle.
• For the Jack-o'-Lantern mouth: Cut a 5-inch-wide half-moon. Cut out a bottom and top tooth that are slightly offset. (If the chocolate cracks at all use a hot, dry offset spatula to re-melt and smooth the chocolate.)
• Make the cheesecake: Combine the gelatin with 1/4 cup water in a small microwave safe bowl and set aside to soften, about 5 minutes. Combine the cream cheese, pumpkin puree, confectioners' sugar, sour cream, vanilla and salt in a food processor and process until smooth.
• Microwave the gelatin until melted, stirring as needed, about 30 seconds. Add the gelatin to the cream cheese mixture and process to combine, about 30 seconds. Pour the batter into the springform pan, on top of the brownie bottom.
• Press the brownie eyes, nose and mouth into the batter until they are even with the top of the batter, taking care not to get any batter on top. Chill in the refrigerator until completely set, 4 hours and up to overnight.
• For the pumpkin vine and stem: Mix the frosting with green food coloring in a small bowl until it is the color of a pumpkin vine (1 to 2 drops). Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip and pipe a curly vine along the top edge of the Jack-o'-Lantern. Push the chocolate square into the top side of the cheesecake about 1/4-inch from the top to make the stem.

SPOOKY HALLOWEEN MARSHMALLOW CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Tip the biscuits into a food processor and blitz to fine crumbs. Pour in the melted butter and blitz again to combine. Line the side of a deep 20cm springform or loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment. Tip in the crumb mixture and press it into the base and up the side of the tin using the back of a spoon. You should be able to press the mixture about halfway up the side, but don't worry if the edge is slightly uneven - this will add a spookily craggy effect to the cheesecake. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
• Tip the marshmallows and milk into a saucepan set over a low-medium heat and stir until the marshmallows have melted. Leave to cool for a few minutes.
• Tip the soft cheese, cream and vanilla extract into a large bowl and beat together using an electric whisk. Pour in the still-warm marshmallow mixture and mix again until smooth. Remove the chilled biscuit base from the fridge and scrape in the marshmallow cheesecake filling. Smooth the top and chill for at least 2 hrs. Will keep chilled for up to a day.
• Heat the oven to 120C/100C fan/gas 1 and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Put the egg whites in a large, clean bowl with a pinch of salt and beat with an electric whisk until foamy - they should hold soft peaks when you lift out the beaters. Beat in the sugar 1 tbsp at a time until fully incorporated and the meringue is thick, shiny and holding stiff peaks.
• Spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle. Holding the nozzle directly above the lined tray, pipe little blobs to make the meringue ghosts. Bake for 1 hr 30 mins, then leave to cool.
• When the meringues are cool, use an icing pen to draw faces on them. Carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin and put on a plate or cake stand. Arrange the ghosts on top just before serving. Will keep in the fridge for up to two days.