World's Best PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE! - 52 Cakes and Pies for Home and Church PotLuck Desserts

Seems like October and November are the only times to make this cheesecake.  Which is a terrible shame since it tastes so good and the secret ingredient (OK... Canned Pumpkin) is available year round.


This is an especially creamy cheesecake.  The combination crust of Nutty Pecans, Sweet Chocolate and the Savory taste of Gingersnap Cookies is the perfect compliment to the creamy sweetness of the pumpkin creamy filling.

Indeed... The World's BEST!

And did you notice the "Garnish"???

Clementine "Cuties" are simply turned into tiny pumpkins.  Just peal and add a stem made from cut Celery sticks.

Especially if these show up on a PotLuck table, there always seem to be a few folks on diets.

Add a few Clementine Pumpkins and everyone is happy.

But the folks eating the cheesecake are happiest!

Enjoy indeed!

 OK... Here's what I did...

World's Best
PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE!

Ingredients

• FOR THE CHOCOLATE PECAN GINGERBREAD CRUST
• 1-1/2 Cups Gingersnap Cookies
• 1/2 Cup Pecans
• 1/2 Cup Milk Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 Cup (one Stick) Butter, Melted
• FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING
• 32 Ounces (4 Bricks) Cream Cheese softened to room temperature
• 1-1/2 Cup Sugar
• 2 TBS Cornstarch
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• 5 Large Eggs
• 1 Cup Canned Pumpkin
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Nutmeg

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a large springform cake pan, line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper, spray the sides with non-stick spray.
2. Add the Gingersnaps, Pecans and Chocolate Chips to the bowl of a food processor and process until crumbs. Add the melted butter and process again until well mixed.
3. Spread the mix in the bottom of the cake pan. Par-Bake for 10 minutes until set. Place the springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan.
4. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the cream cheese and sugar together until creamy. Add the Cornstarch and vanilla and mix until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time until smooth.
5. Divide the cream cheese mix in half, remove half from the bowl and set aside.. Add the pumpkin to the half in the stand mixer, add the pumpkin and mix until thoroughly blended.
6. Pour the pumpkin half into the cake pan over the set crust.
7. Slowly and carefully add the non-pumpkin half over the pumpkin half in an even layer. Take a knife and swirl the cake to get a swirled pattern.
8. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. Bake 55-65 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.
9. Serve chilled and ENJOY!

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And since this recipe features a cake as an ingredient, t has also been added to my growing list of "52 Cakes and Pies at Home"!

These are the desserts you make for your family.  No fancy amazing wedding cakes, just the rustic beauty of the classics.  From pumpkin pie to cheesecakes to layer cakes, these are what your family craves for dessert.  You may even see a few unusual crusts and frosting ideas to try.

You get the idea. These recipes are simple, delicious and will have your family wanting dessert first...

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This recipe has also been added to my growing list of
"52 Church PotLuck Dishes"!

A list of something NEW worthy of being shown off at a neighborhood BYODish (Bring Your Own Dish) Party, a Family special occasion dinner, Any Big Holiday Gathering or of course that glorious day when you bring a dish to share with your Church family...


Ages ago, literally almost a half century ago I was listening to our pastor talking about a PotLuck Dinner. It happened to be scheduled around a church work day when we were expected to weed, polish and do general cleaning and maintenance around the church (you know, back in the day when there were no no-wax floors and church pews smelled of Old English furniture polish). I am of course paraphrasing, but as I recall the pastor said,

"A potluck, like a church requires work. At a potluck everyone is expected to contribute.. At a church no one should come empty handed and no one should leave unfed".

I will confess that in my youth I brought more store bought plastic spoons and forks than I ever brought covered dishes and crock pots of fresh made love and caring delights. But now that I have become a hobbyist cook, I occasionally am reminded of those days and people from my youth. I reminded and I do wish that I could drop a dish of some new creation on those old tables at my fondly remembered Liberty Baptist Church.  Tables covered with newspapers and loaded with God's bounty prepared with love and caring... Enjoy

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