Halloween: Pumpkin Cheesecake

Never in my life I thought I would make so many cheesecakes in a year. I'm guessing this is my 10th or so. Though I often refer to myself as "not a cheesecake person", I can't help but eat a generous amount of it. This cheesecake started off as a pumpkin cheesecake. Still left with 1 ½ cups of pumpking puree in my fridge, I decided to just add the puree to my favorite cheesecake recipe. The result is a cheesecake that looks and smells like a pumpkin cheesecake, but doesn't actually taste like one. I'm guessing 1 ½ cups of puree isn't enough to harbor the pumpkin flavor. But like I said, this is my favorite cheesecake recipe so it still tastes amazing, so I rate it 4 out of 5.

Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe: adapted from AllRecipes.com's Chantal's New York Cheesecake

Ingredients:
- 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 24 ounces cream cheese (3 packages of 8oz)
- 1 cup white sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup pumpkin puree (I suggest using a bit more, maybe 2 ½ cups)

Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch springform pan.
- In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan. Store in the refrigerator until needed.
- In a large bowl, mix cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Fold in the pumpkin puree. Pour filling into prepared crust and put in the oven.
- Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.


Note: I made this cheesecake late at night and unexpectedly, so I didn't take any photographs of the making process, just the finished product.

Although I let the cheesecake cool off in the oven (overnight), it still cracked, so I covered up the crack with some whipped cream, but it still looked kind of unfinished to me ...


... so I created a spiderweb pattern on top.


I so love the color blocking of this cheesecake :D.

Comments

ayu said…
nigella has a pumpkin cheesecake recipe i've boomarked since i got the book, but i just cant find the right time and right mood to make it :(
Anonymous said…
Ummm... can you clarify re cream cheese quantity... 24 oz would equal THREE 8 oz packages, not FOUR.... That being said, it looks delicious, although as you said, 1/2 c pumpkin wouldn't add enough pumpkin flavour for me. I've made pumpkin cheesecake in the past and I believe my recipe was more like 1 1/2 c of pumpkin or so.. I'll have to go check.
What a beauty! Glad to have another way to use up pumpkin puree. I scooped up another 2 cans yesterday 'cause it does seem to be in short supply around here.
Paris Pastry said…
@ayu: True! Nigella's pumpkin cheesecake recipe is where I got the idea from.
Paris Pastry said…
@anonymous: You are absolutely right! 24 oz is three packages of cream cheese, I changed it. Thanks for noticing.

Btw, I did use 1 ½ cups of puree, still wasn't enough. I think most recipes call for an entire can of puree.
marie said…
When are you making the walnut cupcakes...I've been waiting AGES!!
Paris Pastry said…
@marie: Tomorrow I'll bake them. Wednesday I'll post it ;).

I know it's been a week and a half since I put up the poll (usually I close the poll after a week), but I've been super busy with exams.
Eliana said…
your cheesecake looks lovely - i especially like the way you decorated it.
Anonymous said…
Great job and blessings on exams
A Bowl Of Mush said…
Yum, I want this cheesecake now!
I haven't made cheesecake in a while!

Really love the spider web on top!

Love all the Halloween things you've been doing lately!
I seriously need to bake this! Looks amazing!
marie said…
Sorry good luck with your exams :D I'm studying patisserie and pastry at college and check your blog daily. Keep it up I love your blog!!

Marie from london xx
Paris Pastry said…
Thank you so much Marie! How lucky you are to study pastisserie and live in London! I secretly wish I was doing the same :)
Anonymous said…
mmmm looks delicious! Love the spiderweb pattern on top - great for halloween.
Anonymous said…
this is so lovely! and I bet it was tasty too!
Anonymous said…
Love the look can't wait to try it!

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