Pumpkin Cheesecake A La Martha Stewart Food

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in center. Assemble a 9-inch nonstick springform pan, with the raised side of the bottom part facing up.
• Make the crust: In a medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter until moistened; press firmly into bottom of pan. Bake until golden around edges, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Make the filling: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth; mix in flour (do not overmix). Add pumpkin puree, pie spice, vanilla, and salt; mix just until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated before adding the next.
• Place springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour filling into springform, and gently smooth top. Transfer to oven; reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Bake 45 minutes without opening the oven. Turn off oven; to prevent the top from cracking, let cheesecake stay in oven 2 hours more (without opening).
• Remove from oven; cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. Unmold before serving.

PUMPKIN-SWIRL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a parchment round.
• Stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a medium bowl. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool completely.
• Filling: Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Wrap exterior of 9-inch springform pan containing crust with a double layer of foil. Set a kettle of water to a boil. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce to low speed; add sugar in a slow, steady stream. Add salt and vanilla; beat until well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each until just combined (do not overmix). Pour three-quarters of the cream cheese filling over crust.
• Transfer remaining one-quarter cream cheese filling to a bowl; add pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Drop 1/4-cup dollops of pumpkin mixture over top of cream cheese filling. With a wooden skewer or toothpick, swirl into filling.
• Set springform pan inside a large, shallow roasting pan. Carefully pour boiling water into roasting pan to reach halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until cake is set but still slightly wobbly in center, about 75 minutes.
• Transfer springform pan to a wire rack and remove foil; let cool completely. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 24 hours. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen before unmolding.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE A LA MARTHA STEWART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• Place gingersnaps in the bowl of a food processor, and process until finely ground.
• Add pecans, melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon.
• Process just until combined and the mixture holds together.
• Transfer the cookie mixture to a 9-inch nonstick springform pan, and pat out evenly to make the crust, lining the sides of the pan about 1 1/2 inches of the way up.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside.
• In another bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Add pumpkin, bourbon, vanilla, and flour mixture. Beat to combine.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition.
• Pour batter into prepared crust.
• Wrap the outside of the springform pan with a double layer of aluminum foil.
• Place in a roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
• Bake until cake is set in the center, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
• Remove from water, and cool on a wire rack.
• Remove foil, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
• Serve with whipped cream, if you'd like.

"PUMPKIN PIE" CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the filling: Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds, and reserve for another use. Place squash, cut sides down, on a baking sheet lined with buttered parchment paper. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack; let cool.
• Make the crust: Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg yolk and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and salt; mix until dough comes together. Shape into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 10-inch circle, a scant 1/4 inch thick. Fit into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Freeze 15 minutes. Bake until crust is firm and pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• Scoop squash flesh into the bowl of a food processor; process until pureed. Transfer 1 cup puree to a medium bowl; reserve remainder for another use. Stir in cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and ginger.
• Wrap exterior of springform pan (including base) in 2 layers of foil. Butter sides of pan; set aside. Put cream cheese into the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the clean paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and flour, mixing until smooth. Mix in sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time, until just combined; do not overmix.
• Stir 2 cups cream cheese mixture into squash mixture; set aside. Pour remaining cream cheese mixture into prepared pan on top of the crust. Drop dollops of squash-cream cheese mixture on top. Gently swirl with a butter knife.
• Set pan in a large, shallow roasting pan. Transfer to oven. Carefully pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cheesecake. Bake until cake is set but still slightly wobbly in center, 50 to 60 minutes. Turn off oven; let stand in oven with door slightly ajar 1 hour. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Run a knife around sides of cake; unmold.

PUMPKIN-CHEESECAKE PIE WITH GINGERSNAP CRUST

Steps:

• Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse gingersnaps and sugar in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add butter and pulse to combine. Press mixture evenly into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Bake crust until golden in spots, about 15 minutes. With the bottom of a measuring cup, gently flatten bottom and sides of crust. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• Filling: Pulse cream cheese in food processor until smooth. Add sugar and pumpkin and process until smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Add egg and yolk, flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; process until incorporated.
• Pour filling into cooled shell and bake until custard is just set, about 33 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate until cold and firm, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
• Meringue: Combine sugar and egg whites in a heatproof mixing bowl. Set bowl over (not in) a pan of simmering water, whisking until sugar dissolves and whites are warm. Remove from heat. Beat on high speed until thick, glossy stiff peaks form, about 6 minutes.
• Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a large leaf tip (such as Ateco #115). Pipe leaves around border of chilled pie, releasing pressure to create tips. Holding a small kitchen torch at a 90-degree angle, 3 inches from surface of meringue, move flame back and forth over meringue until it starts to brown. (Or broil 6 to 8 inches from heat source, about 1 minute.) Serve immediately.

PUMPKIN MOUSSE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, and sugar; stir until well combined. Press graham cracker mixture into bottom of prepared baking dish in an even layer; set aside.
• Make the cheesecake: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together cream cheese, eggs, and sugar until fluffy. Spread cheesecake mixture over crust in baking dish. Transfer to oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
• Make the mousse: Fill a small bowl or liquid measuring cup with 1/4 cup water; sprinkle gelatin over top and let soften. In a large heatproof bowl, mix together pumpkin, egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, milk, salt, and cinnamon. Set bowl over (but not touching) simmering water; whisk pumpkin mixture until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and whisk in gelatin mixture. Let cool to room temperature.
• In the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue whisking until medium peaks form. Fold into cooled pumpkin mixture. Spread pumpkin mixture over cheesecake; Cover and transfer to refrigerator until set, at least 8 hours and up to overnight.
• Make the whipped cream: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread over cake or serve cheesecake with a dollop on the side.

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.