Pumpkin Gingersnap Cheesecakes (Bake the Day Before)

Pumpkin cheesecake is perfect for Thanksgiving or in our family, the near-Hallowe'en birthdays. Both of these recipes are good!

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cheesecake for Queen Elizabeth II

This cake was served to Queen Elizabeth II of England when she visited Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1984 and dined at the Dubrovnik Restaurant.  The Queen ate three quarters of her portion of this dessert, "...a sure sign of success, since the Queen has a small appetite," according to the blurb accompanying the recipe, published in the September 1989 issue of Homemaker's magazine.

I have made this with a can of ED Smith pumpkin pie filling instead of  homemade pumpkin puree + pumpkin pie spice and it was still good. Another shortcut is to use canned pumpkin puree.

I haven't eaten a gingersnap cookie I didn't like, but Ikea sells very good gingersnaps so I get them there. Crush them in your food processor, blender, or between sheets of parchment paper with your rolling pin.

• 1 cup (250 ml) crushed gingersnap cookies
• 3 tbsp. (45 ml) melted butter
• 1 tsp (5 ml) ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. (30 ml) brown sugar
• 1 lbs. (1 kg) cream cheese, softened
• 1-1/2 cups (375 ml) sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) flour
• 2 tsp. (10 ml) pumpkin pie spice
• 1 can (14 oz/398 ml) pumpkin
• 2 tbsp light rum (30 ml)
• 1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream for topping

Combine crushed gingersnaps, melted butter, cinnamon and brown sugar. Press into the base of a lightly greased 9" (23 cm) springform cake pan. Pat firmly. Chill.
Beat softened cream cheese with electric mixer till fluffly. Slowly beat in sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Beat well after each addition.
Gradually beat in flour, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin and rum.
Pour batter over crust. Bake in preheated 325 degree F oven for 1 -1-1/4 hours, or until filling is set. Set the cake in its pan on a wire rack to cool for 1 hour. Then refrigerate several hours or overnight. Remove from pan.
Serve with fresh whipped cream.

King Arthur's Pumpkin Gingersnap Cheesecake

A recipe from the makers of King Arthur flour.

Bake in a greased 10" springform pan. Use a baking thermometer to test for doneness. Make early in the morning or the day before you want to serve the cake as chilling time is required.

Crust:

• 1-1/4 cups (191 g) gingersnap cookie crumbs
• 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp ginger
• 2 Tbsp (28 g) light OR dark brown sugar, packed
• 4 Tbsp melted butter

Filling:

• three 8 oz pkgs (680g) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1-3/4 cups (347 g) white granulated sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1/4 cup (28 g) all purpose flour
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (227 g) pumpkin puree
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (113 g) sour cream, at room temperature

Instructions:

1. Take cream cheese, eggs and sour cream from the fridge and leave on the counter to reach room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Lightly grease a 10" round springform pan.
4. Make the crust, combining all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulsing until evenly mixed.
5. Press crust ingredients into the bottom of the prepared springform pan, and up the sides of the pan at least 1 inch high.
6. Bake the crust for 10 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees F, just until you can smell the gingersnaps.
7. Remove the pan from the oven onto a cooling rack.
8. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

      9. In a large mixing bowl, blend room temperature cream cheese on low speed for a few minutes, until no lumps remain.

    10. Add sugar, flour, spices. Mix 2 to 3 more minutes, stopping mixer at least twice to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.

     11. Add vanilla and pumpkin. Mix to combine.

     12. Add room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg is added.

     13. Remove bowl from mixer. Stir in sour cream by hand.

     14. Pour mixture on top of the cooked crust in the pan.

      15. Bake in preheated 300 degree F. oven for 50 to 60 minutes. The cake is ready when the centre of the cake is still a bit wobbly but a baking thermometer placed an inch from the side of the cake reads 170 degrees F.

      16. Turn off the oven, prop open the door, and allow the cake to slowly cool IN THE OVEN for one hour.

      17. Remove the cake from the oven. Chill lightly covered, for 4 to 8 hours before serving.