I am falling right back into the swing of things in my kitchen; after cooking a great steak meal, my next step involved something related to the autumn season in Saskatchewan. This week, I searched far and wide to create one of my favourite desserts, Cheesecake with a pumpkin spin. Thanks to the previous comments on my posts about different baking recipes! The source I used was from Natasha’s Kitchen, and it was an honest, trusted recipe with step-by-step documentation. However, the challenge in baking was lovely and in a setting where I felt like a professional due to the amount it produced. I gave it to lucky friends and family members who enjoyed the rich taste and hard-working effort.
The history of Pumpkins in baking dates back to early American settlers of the 17th century, when they would make a pre-version of pumpkin pie with milk, honey, and a variety of spices inside the vegetable over hot ashes. Cheesecake evolved from Greek and Roman recipes using honey, flour, eggs, and crushed cheese. Fun fact: the “dessert” was presented at the first Olympic games. It would later include sugar during Tudor England (1485 – 1603). Then, cream cheese was created in 1872 by American immigrants, and its current form was created with New York Cheesecake’s creation during the Roaring 20s.
Here is the Pumpkin Cheesecake for your consideration, lifted from the website:
The Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs/12 whole graham crackers
- 6 Tbsp unsalted melted butter
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
The Filling:
- 24 oz room temperature cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 15 oz can pumpkin pie mix
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Starting the recipe, my head was filled with thoughts about making this cheesecake, which is truly a science, like in the chocolate chip cookies. It made me confident and excited to conquer the long 7 hours and 30 minutes. First, I grabbed a plastic bag and put the graham crackers into it. Letting out some steam, I smashed them like the Hulk into a fine form that would soon resemble a crust. So, I added the crumbs into a mixture of sugar, cinnamon, and everything nice (melted butter), stirring them to perfection. I deviated a little bit because I did not have a springform pan; instead, using a glass baking pan. I gently jammed them into the bottom and let the crust cook for eight minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. They then had to cool to room temperature, but that was alright since it was time to fill it with the Pumpkin Cheesecake goodness!
Luckily, my stove was already at the desired temperature, and I was reunited with an old friend, the mixer. This is the rich part with the heavenly cream cheese and brown sugar. I made sure not to have a lumpy filling, but the part I did not enjoy was how sweet the brown sugar was in the final result. So, I recommend putting less (1 cup instead of 1 ½) for your tastebuds to not be overloaded by sweetness, saving you a trip to the dentist afterwards, haha! Then, I added the remaining wet ingredients into another bowl and ensured they were finely combined. It is also great because this part of the recipe adds a little extra flair for the baker besides the traditional baked cheesecake! The final part, before baking, required me to transfer the completed filling to the graham cracker crust.
The Pumpkin Cheesecake was in the oven for around one hour and thirty minutes, and I remembered to leave the stove ajar to allow air to circulate during the baking process. Also, I let it cool for forty-five minutes. In the meantime, I made homemade whipping cream, beating the vanilla, sugar, and heavy whipping cream together for a delicious finish to the recipe that only took two minutes. Now, there was waiting time for the cheesecake to cool in my refrigerator for four-ish hours. Side note: it was cracked when I took it out of baking. I know it was only my first time making any cheesecake, but be sure not to bake it too long, get the perfect speed or time for incorporating air during mixing, take your time while cooling, and check the (cold) temperature of ingredients. Lastly, I have to work on my patience, precision, and timing, as mentioned earlier, while baking to limit mistakes. However, they are a part of the learning process, and I should accept that because nobody is perfect at everything!
Thanks for reading about my discoveries in the kitchen with this famous rich and filling dessert! What is your favourite Cheesecake? As always, I am up for suggestions in the comments! Next week, I will dip my toes into the world of cooking shows on the Food Network. Keep staying positive, and have a tremendous week!