Caramelized White Chocolate and Pumpkin Cheesecake

No idea what to do with that extra can (or half can) of pumpkin puree lurking around your kitchen? This cheesecake is a great way to use that and incorporate some fall flavours with a twist if you are pumpkin pie-d out from the last couple weeks. And by ‘with a twist’ I mean we add copious amounts of white chocolate and cream cheese to these so-called fall flavours.

Cheesecake

Caramelized White Chocolate + Pumpkin Cheesecake

This recipe is based off a Nigella’s recipe for London Cheesecake. I personally like how the London Cheesecake is denser and richer than the New York Cheesecake which has whipped egg whites and less egg yolks. I do Americanize this London cheesecake by adding more sugar than Nigella does. After making this basic cheesecake batter you split it into two bowls and add pumpkin to one half and the caramelized white chocolate to the other.

Caramelized White Chocolate + Pumpkin Cheesecake

For the caramelized white chocolate that is a ingenious recipe from David Lebovitz. As someone who finds plain white chocolate too cloying this adds some dimension and toastiness that makes it have an almost dulce de leche taste to it. You can make the caramelized white chocolate ahead of time and you can find the recipe here.

The warm toasty notes from the caramelized white chocolate work splendidly with the cinnamon and spice in the cheesecake and sweet vanilla white chocolate offsets the more squash-y vegetable taste from the pumpkins. Or at least I think they taste kind of vegetable-y anyways.

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of caramelized white chocolate
7 oz of pumpkin puree
3 bricks of cream cheese at room temperature (18 oz)
5 oz of honey graham crackers
5 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup of sugar
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Process graham crackers until they are fine crumbs. Add to a bowl with the melted butter and mix to combine. Line the bottom of a 8 inch springform pan with parchment paper then press the graham cracker and butter mixture to form an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Place in the fridge to set.
2. Preheat oven to 350. Beat cream cheese in a bowl until its smooth. Then add sugar. Beat in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time and then add the vanilla and lemon juice.
3. Put a kettle or pan on the stove and heat up water.
4. Split the cream cheese mixture evenly into two bowls. To one bowl add the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger then beat well. To the other bowl add 3/4 cup of the caramelized white chocolate and mix well.
5. Line the outside of the chilled springform pan with foil so that it completely covers sides. This will protect it from the water in the water bath it will be cooked in.
6. Pour the pumpkin cream cheese mixture into the pan first and then pour the caramelized white chocolate cream cheese mixture over that. Use a knife to make swirls.
7. Place the springform pan into a larger roasting pan. Pour hot water from the kettle or pan into the roasting pan around the cheesecake. Only fill it about halfway up.
8. Put it into the oven and cook for 70 minutes. It should seem mostly set on the outside but still have some jiggle in the middle.
9. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and then let it cool completely before moving it into the fridge. It should chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours prior to eating.

Graham Crackers + Pumpkin

Graham Cracker Crust

Cheesecake Batter

Cheesecake Pre-Baking Post-Swirling

Cheesecake Post-Baking – Yes it cracked because I was too lazy to do the water bath. But you should do the water bath…

I think cheesecake always looks best topped with something whether it be berries or in this case caramelized white chocolate whipped cream and semi-sweet chocolate ganache.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup caramelized white chocolate (remainder post making the cheesecake)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/8 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of semisweet chocolate

1. Whip 1 cup of heavy cream with the caramelized white chocolate and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. Melt the semisweet chocolate with 1/8 cup of heavy cream. This can be over a double boiler but also with 30 second increments in the microwave. Mix until smooth.
3. Once cheesecake is cooled top evenly with the caramelized white chocolate whippped cream.
4. Once ganache has cooled a bit, but it still warm enough to be pourable, drizzle over the whipped cream.
5. Refrigerate.

I make this every holiday season and it seems to please both people who love pumpkin-everything and those who are less enthusiastic about pumpkin. Although I love pumpkin pie I am not one to eat tons of it because after a couple months of having both real and artificial pumpkin flavor injected into everything I get a little sick of it. This cheesecake on the other hand, for better or for the worse, I find I never grow tired of it

TIPS:
1. Obviously you can sub in pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger powder in the cheesecake if thats easier.
2. Make it a day ahead to ensure its properly chilled, cheesecake tastes so much better when its properly cold.