This week, I’ve been doing Thanksgiving recipes on a smaller scale since many of us may be on our own or with just one other person because of covid restrictions. When I make cheesecakes, they are normally in a 9” springform pan. But, for this pumpkin cheesecake, I used a 7” springform pan and adjusted the recipe accordingly. Now this is definitely for more than just one or two people, but it’s definitely a lot fewer servings than my traditional cheesecake. The link to my other recipes is listed below. They include a cornish game hen with wild rice dressing, a spinach and cranberry salad, candied sweet potatoes, and an acorn squash and apple soup. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday however you’re celebrating.
7″ Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
11 Graham Crackers
6 tbl Butter
Filling
1/3 cu Granulated Sugar
8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
4 oz Mascarpone Cheese, room temperature
1/3 cu Pumpkin Puree
1 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Spice
2 lg Eggs, resting at room temperature for 30 minutes
2 tsp Bourbon, like Maker’s Mark
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
1/8 tsp Salt
Topping
4 oz Sour Cream
1 tbl Pumpkin Puree
1/2 tsp Pumpkin Spice Mix
1 tsp Bourbon
2 tbl Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
7” Springform Pan
Method
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper, if you like, to make it easier to transfer the cheesecake to a serving platter.
Finely grind graham crackers in a food processor and then transfer them to a bowl. Melt butter in a small pan or in the microwave and pour over graham crackers. Mix thoroughly and pour all but about 2 heaping tablespoons into your springform pan. Press the graham crackers most of the way up the side and on the bottom of the pan as uniformly as possible. Place the extra 2 tablespoons in a sealable bag or container and set aside. Bake the crust in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and set on a wire rack to fully cool, about 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, with either a stand mixer or electric mixer, cream together the sugar, cream cheese and mascarpone cheese. Mix thoroughly for about 5 minutes at medium speed. Add pumpkin puree. Add eggs, one at a time, and continue to mix. Add bourbon, pumpkin spice mix, vanilla, lemon juice and salt. Increase speed to medium high and mix for an additional 3 minutes. Pour mixture into your cooled springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes. The outside edges of the cheesecake will be stiff but the center will still be soft and jiggle a bit. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Let the cheesecake cool for 30 minutes. The cake will settle a bit.
Mix together sour cream, pumpkin puree, bourbon, sugar, pumpkin spice, vanilla and lemon juice. Once cheesecake has cooled, gently spoon the topping over the cake and spread it evenly to about 1/4” away from the edge. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cheesecake rest at room temperature four about 45 minutes. While it’s cooling, crumble the remaining graham crackers and form a circular ring about half the diameter of the springform pan. Then, place the cheesecake in your refrigerator for 4 hours or longer until it is fully set and chilled.
Other recipes in this series:
Cornish Game Hens With Wild Rice Dressing: http://waynesweekend.com/2020/11/20/thanksgiving-for-one-cornish-game-hens/
Cranberry Spinach Salad with Lemony Raspberry Dressing And Candied Sweet Potatoes: http://waynesweekend.com/2020/11/22/thanksgiving-side-dishes-for-one-or-two/
Acorn Squash and Apple Soup: http://waynesweekend.com/2020/11/23/acorn-squash-and-apple-soup-for-thanksgiving/