Pumpkin Cheesecake A La Martha Stewart Recipes

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-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.

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-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.