I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling stuffed just thinking about all the food I’m going to eat in the next few days. In addition to hosting Thanksgiving, my neighbors Amy and Shawn are planning a Pie Party on Friday. They’re encouraging everyone who attends to bring their leftover desserts. Talk about a sugar rush.
I’m toying with the idea of making the Pumpkin-Caramel Cheesecake featured on the cover of this year’s Betty Crocker Thanksgiving magazine. I was lucky enough to get a taste of this cheesecake when the recipe was first developed and it is absolutely out of this world—and I don’t actually like the taste of pumpkin all that much. I bought all the ingredients last night and I just ran down to the kitchen to borrow a 9-inch springform pan since I don’t own one. I’ve never made a cheesecake that requires a water bath, but having had a bite of this, I think it’ll be worth the extra effort. Plus, it’s not like mine is going to be on the cover of a magazine, so if it doesn’t have to look perfect. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Pumpkin-Caramel Cheesecake
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Start to Finish: 10 Hours 50 Minutes
16 servings
Crust
1 1/2 cups finely crushed gingersnap cookies (30 cookies)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
Filling
3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened (do not use margarine)
1 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 cup caramel topping
3 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
3 eggs
Garnish
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Topping
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Wrap foil around outside of bottom and side of 9-inch springform pan to catch drips. Spray bottom of pan with cooking spray. In small bowl, stir crust ingredients until well mixed. Press mixture in bottom of pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set.
2. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed just until smooth and creamy. Beat in 1/2 cup butter until creamy. Do not overbeat. On low speed, gradually beat in sugar. Add pumpkin; beat until blended. Beat in caramel topping and flour. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Pour filling into partially baked crust. Place springform in large roasting pan; pour hot water into roasting pan until one-fourth full. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes or until edge of cheesecake is set at least 2 inches from edge of pan but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 8 hours before serving.
4. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook almonds over medium heat 4 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly, until just beginning to brown; sprinkle 1/3 cup granulated sugar over almonds. Continue cooking and stirring 2 to 3 minutes longer or until sugar is melted and almonds are coated. Spread almond mixture on sheet of foil sprayed with cooking spray. Cool 2 to 3 minutes; break apart.
5. In chilled medium bowl, beat topping ingredients with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Serve slices of cheesecake topped with whipped cream and almonds.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Before heating oven, place small baking pan filled with 1 to 2 cups of water on oven rack below center rack to help prevent cheesecake from cracking. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake cheesecake 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.