WHITE CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN SPICE CHEESECAKE

Crust: 
12 oz. crushed gingersnap cookies (using a food processor ) (or just crush them by putting them in a ziplock bag and using a rolling pin to crush them.)
½ cup butter, melted
Filling:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/8 cup cold water

¼ cup boiling water

½ cup sugar, I use extra fine baker’s sugar
1 (8 oz package) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
9 oz. white chocolate baking bar, melted (divided)
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
½  teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla powder, or vanilla paste

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Pumpkin Pie Swirl:

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/8 cup Extra Fine Baker’s Sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla powder, or vanilla paste

3 oz. white chocolate (take 3 oz. of the melted white chocolate from the filling white chocolate)

4 Tablespoons Filling Mixture

Whipping cream, pumpkin pie spice for garnish (optional Mexican Cinnamon Chocolate Shavings and Pumpkin Spice M&Ms)

Directions:

In small bowl, combine crust ingredients; mix well.  Press in bottom of 8-inch springform pan.  Set aside

In small saucepan, pour gelatin over cold water; let stand 1 minute.  Add boiling water and sugar; stir over medium heat until mixture is hot and gelatin and sugar are dissolved.

In a small bowl Combine pumpkin puree, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla.  Mix well.  Set aside.

In a heavy saucepan or double boiler, melt white chocolate on low heat, stirring constantly until it is almost completely melted.  Remove from heat and continue stirring.  It will finish melting as you stir it.

Add 3 oz. of the melted white chocolate to the pumpkin mixture.  Mix well and set aside.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sour cream until creamy.  Gradually add  the remaining 6 oz. of the melted baking bar, gelatin mixture , whipping cream, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla.  Beat until smooth.  Remove 4 Tablespoons of the filling mixture and add to the pumpkin mixture.  Pour into crust lined pan. 

Mix the filling mixture into the pumpkin mixture.  Mix well.

Spoon about 7 - 8 teaspoons full of the pumpkin mixture onto the top of the cheesecake in a circular pattern.  Using a knife in a circular motion, gently swirl the pumpkin mixture into the cheesecake.

Cover; refrigerate 8 hours or until firm. 

Just before serving, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake.  Carefully remove sides of pan. Garnish with whipping cream and shake some pumpkin pie spice on the whipping cream.   If desired add some Mexican Cinnamon Chocolate shavings and some pumpkin Spice M&Ms for garnish. Store in refrigerator.  

Ingredients

Gingersnap Cookie Crumbs

Cookie Crumbs in Springform Pan

Adding Melted Butter to Crumbs

Crust

Pumpkin and Spice

Melting White Chocolate

Melted White Chocolate

Gelatin Mixture

Adding White Chocolate, Gelatin Mixture and Vanilla to Cream Cheese Mixture

Adding Whipping Cream

Adding White Chocolate and Filling Mixture to Pumpkin Spice Mixture

Filling Mixture

Filling

Dollops of Pumpkin Spice Mixture

Swirling Pumpkin Spice Mixture in circular motions

Continuing to Swirl

Ready to Chill and Set

Set

Whipping Cream Garnish

Whipping Cream and Mexican Cinnamon Chocolate Garnish

Pumpkin Spice M&M's added

Slice Out

PUMPKIN MOUSSE

Pumpkin Mousse (from page 61 of Pillsbury’s Baking for the Holidays)

Makes 8 servings

Prep time 10 minutes

1 ½ cups whipping cream

1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened

¾ cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

¼ teaspoon salt

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 pouch (2 bars) pecan crunchy granola bars (from  8.9 oz box) – or just use pecan pieces (finely chopped pecans) from Trader Joes

8 candy pumpkins, if desired

-          In large bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form; refrigerate

-          In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt with electric mixer on medium speed about 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until smooth and creamy.  On low speed beat in pumpkin, scraping bowl occasionally.

-          Using rubber spatula, gently fold 2 cups of the whipped cream into pumpkin mixture.  Spoon mousse into 8 individual dessert dishes.

-          To serve, spoon dollop of remaining whipped cream onto each serving.  Coarsely crust granola bars; sprinkle over each serving.  Garnish with candy pumpkins.

To make ahead, spoon the mousse into dessert dishes and refrigerate no more than 3 hours.  Wait until just before to top with granola (or nuts) and whipped cream.

PUMPKIN ICE CREAM PIE

Adapted from the Family Fun Cookbook

Ingredients:
1.5 Quarts Vanilla Ice Cream (allow to get soupy before adding to the mix)
1 cup plain canned pumpkin
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Crust and Topping:
1 Shortbread crust or 1 graham cracker crust (you can make these or buy them)
chopped pecans

Directions:
Mix all Pie Ingredients in a large mixing bowl (they can be added in any order). Then, mix with a hand mixer for a few seconds just to be sure everything is mixed well. Pour into crust. Put in the Freezer over night. If desired, add the finely chopped nuts as a topping after about one hour of freezing.

Ingredients

Pumpkin and Spices

Mixed

Mixed with Ice Cream

Ready to Freeze

Garnished with Pecans

SLOW COOKER CARAMEL APPLE CRISP

Add caption

Loosely adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/slow-cooker-apple-crisp/detail.aspx

Ingredients:

Apple Filling

4 medium large apples (I used Pink Lady), peeled, cored, chopped

2 tablespoons lemon juice

A splash of vanilla

1 tablespoon corn starch

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/8 – ¼  cup white sugar

3 teaspoons caramel

Streusel/Crisp Topping

½ cup flour (I used white whole wheat)

½ cup quick oats

¼ - 1/3 cup white sugar

¼ - 1/3 cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 pinch salt

½ cup butter, cut into little cubes

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Line a slow cooker with a slow cooker liner (it is like a plastic bag).

Pour the lemon juice into a large bowl.  Peel, core and chop each apple individually, stirring them into the lemon juice (to keep them from browning).  Add the cornstarch, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, sugar and caramel.  Stir into the apples.  Place in the lined crock pot and turn on high.  Place the lid on the slow cooker  Meanwhile, prepare the streusel topping.

Combine the flour, quick oats, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Stir.  Add the butter a little at a time and use a pastry blender or a fork to cut into coarse crumbs.  Stir in the chopped pecans.  Pour into the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or on LOW for 4 hours.  Partially uncover for an hour just before serving to let the top get crisp.  Serve with vanilla or butter pecan ice cream.

Ingredients, minus apples

Pink Lady Apples

Chopped Apples

Apples with Spices

Streusel  Topping, before pastry blender

Streusel without nuts

Streusel with nuts

Ready to Cook

Ready to Eat

Just Sreusel

Streusel and Ice Cream

With Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce