Ultimate Pumpkin Cheesecake By Bird Food

ALMOST-FAMOUS PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• Brush a 10-inch springform pan with some of the butter. Stir the remaining butter with the crumbs, 1/4 cup of the sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, packing it tightly and evenly. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a rack, then wrap the outside of the springform pan with foil and place in a roasting pan.
• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups sugar and beat until just light, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Beat in the sour cream, then add the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, 1 teaspoon salt and the spices and beat until just combined. Pour into the cooled crust.
• Gently place the roasting pan in the oven (don't pull the rack out) and pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake until the outside of the cheesecake sets but the center is still loose, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the door briefly to let out some heat. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 more hour, then carefully remove from the roasting pan and cool on a rack. Run a knife around the edges, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Bring the cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Unlock and remove the springform ring. To finish, place a dollop of the whipped cream on each slice and sprinkle with the toasted pecans.

THE BEST PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• For the crust: Add the gingersnap cookies, melted butter and salt to a food processor. Process until the crumb mixture looks like coarse sand, about 30 seconds. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake the crust until it is fragrant and golden brown, about 12 minutes.
• Remove the crust to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan tightly with foil and place in a roasting pan.
• For the filling: Add the cream cheese to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and beat, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the sour cream, vanilla and salt and beat just until combined.
• Scoop 3 cups of the cheesecake filling into a medium bowl. Add the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and 1/4 cup water and stir with a rubber spatula until well combined. Bring a pot or kettle of water to a boil.
• Fill a 1-cup measure with plain cheesecake filling and pour into the center of the cooled crust. Fill a 1-cup measure with pumpkin filling and pour into the center of the plain filling. The batter will spread as you add alternating scoops, widening to form concentric circles. Repeat with the remaining batter in 1/2-cup increments alternating between flavors, until all the batter is used.
• Carefully place the roasting pan in the oven (don't pull the rack out of the oven). Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come about halfway up the sides of the foil-wrapped pan.
• Bake until the top of the cheesecake is lightly browned around the edges, but the center is still jiggly, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake sit in the oven until the center becomes just slightly jiggly, about 1 hour (see Cook's Note).
• Carefully remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a wire rack. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to overnight.
• For the spiced pumpkin seeds: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the pumpkin seeds, oil, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt and cloves in a small bowl. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet and roast until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• For the pumpkin caramel: Melt the sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until caramelized and dark amber (a digital instant-read or candy thermometer should register 245 degrees F), about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally with a whisk. Lower the heat to low. Carefully whisk in the heavy cream and butter and continue stirring until melted, about 1 minute. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, ginger and cloves until combined. Remove from heat and let cool slightly before serving.
• To serve: Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Unlock the springform pan and remove the ring. Sprinkle the spiced pumpkin seeds around the top outer edge of the cheesecake. Dip a knife in a warm water and wipe dry before slicing each piece. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of the pumpkin caramel.

MARBLED PUMPKIN-MAPLE CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Crust:
• Place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Lightly butter a 13x9x2" metal baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on long sides, then butter parchment. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form (you should have a generous 2 cups). Add sugar and salt and pulse just to combine. Add ½ cup butter and pulse until mixture is the consistency of wet sand.
• Transfer crumbs to prepared pan and press firmly into bottom with a measuring cup. Bake crust until fragrant and edges are just starting to take on color, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
• Cheesecake and Assembly:
• Reduce oven temperature to 275°F. Beat cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat on low speed, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until incorporated. Add sour cream and maple syrup and beat until mixture is thick and creamy and no lumps remain. Scoop ¾ cup filling into a small bowl and save for marbling later. Add pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, and ginger to remaining batter and beat until no streaks remain. Remove bowl from mixer and tap on counter several times to force any air bubbles to the filling's surface. Scrape filling into cooled crust; pop any air bubbles. Dollop reserved filling over pumpkin filling and swirl with a skewer or toothpick to marble.
• Bake cheesecake until edges are set but center still wobbles slightly when gently shaken (it will firm as it cools), 40-50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack on stovetop and let cool (the warmth from the cooling oven will help it come to room temperature more slowly, keeping the top from cracking), about 3 hours.
• Chill cheesecake until cold and firm, 3-4 hours. Cut into bars or squares to serve.
• Do Ahead: Cheesecake can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

CLASSIC PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Wrap the outside (bottom and sides) of a 9-inch springform pan with foil to prevent leaking. Make the crust: Toss the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar in a bowl until combined. Firmly press into the bottom of the pan. Bake until set and a few shades darker, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Make the filling: Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 more minutes. Add the pumpkin, sour cream, pie spice, vanilla and salt and beat until combined. Add the eggs and beat on medium-low speed until just combined; switch to a rubber spatula for the last few stirs, making sure to get the bottom of the bowl. Pour the filling into the cooled crust; gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
• Set the cheesecake in a roasting pan or large baking dish and set on the middle oven rack. Carefully pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes one-third of the way up the sides of the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake until it's set around the edges but the center is still jiggly, about 1 1/2 hours. Turn the oven off, crack the door open slightly and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 30 to 45 more minutes. Transfer to a rack, run a thin knife around the edge and let cool completely. Cover the cheesecake and refrigerate until fully chilled, at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature about 30 minutes before serving. Remove the springform ring. Top with whipped cream.

ULTIMATE PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE (BY BIRD)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F Prep a 9-10" spring form pan as follows: Place a sheet of parchement paper over the inside bottom of the springform pan, fit the rim and lock in place. Trim excess paper from the underside of the pan. Place a large sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil on counter. Place the locked pan in center and raise up the foil to top rim. Crinkle around the outer top of rim.
• Using some cold butter, coat the bottom, corner (crease) and sides of pan and then press the crushed toasted almonds to the bottom and a little up the side. Sprinkle the crushed gingersnaps onto the bottom of the pan.
• In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese at low speed until soft and smooth, about 1 minute. Add the pureed pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the eggs, one at a time, allowing incorporation between each egg.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place the cake pan inside a water bath (which is a large roasting pan and pour in very hot tap water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan.). Bake for 1.5 hours, or until the center reaches 150F with an instant read digital thermometer.
• Remove the cake pan from the larger pan, remove the foil and set aside to cool on a rack. Do not release spring. Refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours (overnight is best).
• Release the spring, and carefully lift off the rim. (at this point, you can easily slide the cake onto a serving platter using the parchment paper).
• SUPERB ICING: In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, 1 cup confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice until well blended and smooth. Spread on top of cake or use a pastry bag to decorate.
• NOTE: To toast almonds, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the almonds on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven until golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool. Place in a mini food processor and pulse to chop.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Brush the inside of a 10-inch springform pan with 1 teaspoon softened butter.
• Mix graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, 1/4 cup white sugar, and 1/4 cup melted butter together in a bowl until incorporated. Press mixture into the bottom of the springform pan.
• Beat cream cheese and 1 1/2 cup white sugar together in a bowl until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, blending in each egg before adding the next. Stir in cream, pumpkin, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice until thoroughly blended. Pour cream cheese mixture over the graham cracker crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheesecake is set in the middle, 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes, or leave on oven rack with door ajar for up to several hours.
• Beat sour cream, 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract together in a bowl until smooth. Pour sour cream topping over cheesecake. Chill in refrigerator before removing sides of pan, about 3 hours.