Pumpkin Cheesecake

Oh my!

That's all I have to say about this!

Not really.

I have been waiting to taste this thing ALL day

Totally worth it.

I have never made a cheesecake before

I thought it would be hard.

Making my little cheesecake minis a few weeks ago showed me that it isn't hard at all

So, I decided that since we're doing all things pumpkin ,and since I do not want to make pumpkin pie,

Well, this would be the perfect dessert.

I was not wrong.

I actually took a few different recipes and sized them up and then came up with my own concoction

I don't think you'll be disappointed

I know I'm not

We'll see what the neighbor/taste tester thinks

This was supposed to be her cheesecake

Payment for babysitting my kids

But since my internet was down yesterday and I couldn't access my recipes, I couldn't make it

Today she is going out of town for the Holiday

She won't get the whole cheesecake... but I will make sure she gets the piece in the picture before she leaves.

I'll make her another dessert soon

Anyway... on to the recipe.

One warning... it IS very easy... but there is a LOT of waiting involved.  This is best made the day before you want to serve it..... trust me! 

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 3/4 C crushed Nilla wafers
1/4 C Brown sugar
1/3 C Butter, melted


Filling:
1 container (24 ounces) nonfat cottage cheese (3 cups)
1 1/2 pkg  (12 ounces) Neufchatel/cream-cheese
1-1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
2 large egg whites
2 large eggs
1 can (16 ounces) pumpkin puree (2 cups)
2 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toppings:

Carmel:
1 1/2 Stick butter
3/4 C Brown sugar
1/2 C Heavy cream

Candied nuts:
1 C Nuts (walnuts, pecans or almonds)
4 Tbs White sugar


Directions:

Crust:
Lightly grease bottom and sides of 9x3-inch springform pan.

In case you don't know, this is a springform pan.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees (only for the crust)
Put the cookies in a food processor and blend until you get small crumbs
OR you can roll then with a rolling pin or crush them in a bag ...get creative
Add the sugar and mix
Add the melted butter and mix until coated
Using the bottom on a greased glass, press the crumb mixture into the bottom and an inch up the sides of a springform pan
Bake at 350 for 6 minutes
Set aside
Turn oven down to 325 degrees and go on to cake filling directions below

Filling:
Heat oven to 325 degrees F. (only for the cheesecake)
Process cottage cheese and cream cheese in a food processor or blender about 2 minutes until thick and smooth.
Add brown sugar, process until sugar dissolves.
Add eggs and egg whites and process just until blended.
Transfer mix to a large bowl.
Stir in pumpkin, cornstarch, spice and vanilla until well blended and smooth.

Pour into crust.

Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes or until top of cake looks set.

Turn oven off.

Cool completely on wire rack in oven

Cover and refrigerate in pan at least 6 hours or up to 4 days.
See?  Here is where all that waiting comes in....grrr!

Toppings:

When ready to serve, you can add this yummy topping:

Nuts:

Spray a fry pan with Pam and add 3 TBS sugar and 1 C nuts

I used walnuts, but pecans or slivered almonds would work too
Cook nuts & Sugar until sugar melts and carmelizes onto nuts

(don't cook too long or the sugar will burn)
Set aside to cool
Place on cake whole or chopped up
Carmel:
Melt butter and sugar in sauce pan
Add heavy cream and bring to boil
Simmer for 3 minutes, stir often
let cool and drizzle over nuts on cake

***Review:
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!  Is that enough?  Everyone but the child allergic to pumpkin LOVED it!  He didn't get to try any.  It's ok, don't feel bad.  He wasn't even home ;)  It actually tastes similar to pumpkin pie (but way better) but I'm not complaining... no one else is either!
UPDATE:  Here is the neighbor's response: "Not to be the bragging neighbor or anything, but YES, YES once again I got to eat this too. My husband thinks pumpkin pie is just OK, but this cheesecake I'm thinking must have rocked to him b/c he ate nearly the whole piece and it was a large piece!!"
**Tips:
I will state the obvious first... you don't have to use any of the toppings.  I just wanted to.  You could just used whipped cream really... or nothing at all.
Using the glass to press the crumb crust into the pan is really the BEST way to go.  I tried it other ways... didn't work.
You have to wait for the cheesecake to be fully cooled before you can take it off the springform base.  Trust me... I tried that too.  Almost a disaster.  I am not the most patient person!