♥ Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

This is such a pretty cheese cake to make and absolutely delicious.  If you notice, I usually make smaller 6-7 inch cheesecakes here at Welcome Home instead of the larger 9 inch. I find the smaller ones are just the right size for sharing with a friend. This recipe makes a 9 inch cheesecake. 

I made a 7 inch cheesecake in the photo.  I took my leftover ingredients and made mini cheesecakes bites using a mini muffin tin. I have added the link for the small spring 6-7 inch form pans that I use at the bottom of the recipe in case you want to make the smaller ones.

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

Crust
1 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cups crushed vanilla wafers
1/4 cup crushed pecans
2/3 cup of melted butter (or more if needed)

Cheesecake
4 (8 oz. packages) Cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup Libby's pumpkin puree in a can
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crust:
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine the graham crackers, vanilla wafers and pecans in a food processor until finely crushed. Melt the butter and stir into the crumbs until they are moist enough to form a crust. Press the crumbs in a spring form pan, going up the sides of the pan and to the top. This is enough to make one 9 inch cheesecake. The one I show in the photo is only a small one.

Cheesecake:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and only one cup of sugar until well blended. Add the vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well. Then mix in one egg at a time until batter is smooth and well blended. Remove about half the batter to another bowl and set aside.

Add the pumpkin puree and the other 1/2 cup of sugar to your remaining batter and stir well. Pour the pumpkin batter over the crust and spread evenly with a rubber spatula . Then pour the plain batter that you set aside on top of the pumpkin batter.

With a knife, gently swirl back and forth so that you bring a little pumpkin batter to the top making a pattern. You can swirl as much as you want to make a marble effect. 

Place the spring form pan on a baking sheet and bake the for about 45 minutes or until the outside is set and the center is almost set (slightly jiggly). Remove from the oven and place the spring form pan on a cooling rack to allow the cheesecake to cool for about 1-2 hours. Then refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 2 hours or overnight. When ready to remove from the spring form pan, run a knife along the edge to loosen up the cheesecake. Decorate with piped whipped cream and enjoy! 

7 inch leak proof spring form pan:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000237FS0/ref=as_li_ss_sm_fb_us_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=399837&creativeASIN=B000237FS0&linkCode=shr&tag=welchome08-20&linkId=JNPOM4LW44EDZ55X&=kitchen&qid=1445526013&sr=1-2&keywords=6+inch+springform+pan

Photography is copyrighted and the property of ©Welcome Home.



Cream Cheese Brownies with Ganache

I guess if I had to choose which one of all my brownie recipes I might like the best, this one would definitely be on the list.  Notice I can’t commit?  I have so many that are so good that it’s hard to choose just one. But there’s something about this one that sends it way up on that list.  It’s a true marriage of moist homemade chocolate brownie, with a layer of rich and creamy vanilla cheesecake, topped with a decadent, deep rich chocolate ganache... okay its way up there! 

Cream Cheese Brownies With Ganache

Brownies 

2 cups sugar 
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
2/3 cup cocoa powder 
1 1/2 teaspoons salt 
1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
5 eggs 
2 sticks of butter, melted 
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 13 x 9 x 2" baking pan. 

Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Beat flour mixture and eggs on low speed using an electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally and mixing until smooth. Slowly add melted butter and beat until just combined: do not over mix. Fold in chocolate chips.

Transfer batter to prepared baking dish. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool while you make your cheesecake filling. 

Cheesecake filling

3/4 cup sugar 
3 tablespoons cornstarch 
4 (8-ounce) packs of cream cheese 
1 tablespoon lemon juice 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
2 eggs 
2 tablespoons heavy cream 
2 tablespoons sour cream 

Cream sugar, cornstarch, and cream cheese in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Add lemon juice and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly. Add eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl with each addition. Fold in heavy cream and sour cream. 

Spread batter on top of already baked brownies. Bake until cheesecake is lightly browned and firm, about 45 - 50 minutes. Cool completely and then refrigerate at least for one hour before serving.

Chocolate Ganache

8 ounces heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons butter
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Heat cream and butter on stove, but do not allow to boil. Remove from stove and pour over chocolate. Stir till completely combined. Add powdered sugar and whisk until combined and smooth. Pour over cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight, then cut into bars to serve.

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home.