Categories: Dessert: Chesecake
Ingredients
- 1 junior's 9 inch shortbread crust
- FOR THE CHEESECAKE:
- 3/4 canned pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- three 8 oz packages cream cheese, soft
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 extra-large eggs
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- FOR THE PUMPKIN MOUSSE AND FILLING:
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2 cups heavy or whipping cream
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large cinnamon graham crackers
- (or 1/2 cup crumbs)
- 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Wrap the outside in aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides. Make and bake the cake crust and leave it in the pan. Keep the oven on.
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Make the cheesecake. Mix the pumpkin puree and the pumpkin pie spice together in a small bowl and set aside. Put one package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each one. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 1/3 cups sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the cream just until completely blended. Be careful not to over mix!
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Remove 1 cup of the batter and set aside. On low speed, blend the spiced pumpkin puree into the remaining batter. Gently spoon the batter onto the crust. Using a teaspoon, drop the white batter in small teaspoonfuls on top of the pumpkin batter, pressing down slightly as you go. Using a thin, pointed knife, cut through the batter a few times in a figure 8 design, just until the white swirls appear.
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Place the cake in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the spring form pan. Bake until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and cool for 2 hours (just walk away-dont touch it). Then, leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refridgerate until completely cold, preferably overnight, or at least 4 hours.
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Meanwhile make the pumpkin mousse. Mix the pumpkin puree with the pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl and set aside. Place the gelatin in a heatproof measuring cup, stir in the cold water, and let stand until it thickens. Cook in the microwave on high for a bout 30 seconds, until completely melted. Set aside to cool. In a large clean bowl with clean beater, Whip the cream with the mixer on high just until it thickens and peaks begin to form. With the mixer still running, add the sugar and the vanilla. Blend in the pumpkin puree and blend until fluffy with slightly firm peaks. Beat in the dissolved gelatin all at once, just until it disappears. Watch closely at this stage and do not overbeat. It is now ready to spoon onto the chilled cake. If the cake is not yet cold, refrigerate the mousse, but it is best used within 1 hour.
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Remove the cake from the refrigerator, leaving it in the pan. Spoon the pumpkin mousse on top of the cake (it will com up to the top of the pan). Spread it out to the sides with a metal spatula. Cover the top evenly with the graham cracker crumbs and decorate with a circle of chopped walnuts. cover with plastic wrap and freeze until the mousse is firm and set, preferably overnight or at least for 4 hours. If your not serving the cake the same day, leave in the freezer.
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About 2 hours before serving the cake, let the cake stand at room temp for about 15 minutes, just long enough to release the sides of the springform pan. transfer to a cake plate, leaving on the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate, bu do not cover, until time to serve. It will take about 2 hours to thaw in the fridge so you can easily slice it. Refrigerate any leftover cake or wrap and return to freezer for a month.