Friday, October 26, 2012

Pumpkin Toffee Cheesecake


I love Pumpkin Pie.  I also like cheesecake.  My boyfriend really loves cheesecake.  I thought pumpkin cheesecake would be the perfect thing for Thanksgiving.  A couple years ago for the Holiday I made a pumpkin flavored cheesecake.  This turned out to be unsatisfying.  I missed the delicious custard that is pumpkin pie.  I missed the texture of it and the stronger flavor and ended up making a pie anyway.  THIS cheesecake is different.  It is a two-layered affair with yummy toffee cheesecake on the bottom and pumpkin pie on top!  My beau calls this “Pumpkin-Cake-Cheese-Pie.”  I hope you enjoy it as much as he does.  Everyone I’ve served to so far has raved.  Below, the recipe along with some suggested variations.

Ingredients:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
Here are some variations: Cinnamon graham crackers, gingersnap cookies, mixtures of the above, or feel free to add your favorite nuts as well.
½ cup butter
2  8-oz. pkgs. Cream cheese, softened
In fact, you should probably set out all your ingredients so they can warm up.  Then, make yourself a cup of tea, check your facebook, put on some lip gloss, and then go back to making this yummy dessert.
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
5 eggs, at room temperature (trust me, it is much better for the eggs to be at room temp)
1 bag toffee bits
You can find these in most supermarkets this time of year.  Or, feel free to make your own toffee, but you're going to have to find your own recipe for that.  You will need… I don’t know… 2 cups? of tiny tiny pieces of toffee.  If you can’t find a bag of toffee bits, you may consider running a Heath Bar or Skor through your coffee grinder (freeze it first so the chocolate doesn’t gunk everything up) but I’m not sure about the addition of chocolate, not being a big chocolate fan.
1  15-oz. can Pumpkin Puree (or use homemade, it is about 1 ¾ cup)
¾ cup Whipping Cream (yay!)
2/3 cup sugar (yes, I know I already listed sugar, but this is for a different part)
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. pumpkin pie seasoning (or, as much cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg as you feel like adding)
1/8 tsp. salt
Sweetened Whipped Cream for topping (You’ve already bought Whipping Cream for the recipe, and it is so much better than Cool Whip.  Making your own whipped cream is about the easiest thing you can do.  If you need pointers, I’m happy to help.)
I don't have a better picture.  We were too busy eating it.

Directions:
Heat oven to 300 degrees.  Spray or butter a 9” or 10” Springform pan.  In a small bowl, mix the crumbs of your choice with the butter.  Press in the bottom of springform pan.  Bake 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, ½ cup sugar, and vanilla until smooth.  Beat in 2 of the eggs.  Stir in 1 cup of the toffee bits.  Spread over crust. 

In another bowl (or use the same one, I don’t care) mix Pumpkin, Whipping Cream, 2/3 cup sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and remaining 3 eggs, just until blended.  CAREFULLY spoon this mixture over the cream cheese mixture.  You don’t want to just dump it on top as you are making two separate layers here and are trying to avoid making a muddled mess.

Bake for two hours (a long time, I know, but this gives you time to make your Christmas wish list or, I don’t know, think of things you are Thankful for, like this dessert recipe)  Anyway, Bake for 2 hours or until edge of cheese/pie is set at least two inches from the edge, but still slightly jiggly in the middle.  Turn the oven off, open the oven door 4” and leave the cheesecake in there for another 30 minutes.  Then, remove cheesecake from oven, run a spatula around the edge of the pan and let cool another 30 minutes.  Then refrigerate 6 hours, or overnight.  Run spatula around the edge of the pan again and then remove the springform.  Pipe, or as I do, dollop whipped cream around edges of cheese/pie then sprinkle with remaining toffee bits.