Char’s Pumpkin Rum Cheesecake

Wishing you and your belly a Thanksgiving full of love and good food!! Speaking of good food, my Pumpkin Rum Cheesecake is a great addition to your Thanksgiving Table!

Char’s Pumpkin Rum Cheesecake

If you’re reading this, you likely know how much I L🎃VE pumpkin. I also love cheesecake. So I married the two together and added a splash of dark rum (rum is optional, btw). And OMG….if you love pumpkin and cheesecake as much as I do – then this is the recipe for you. Bonus: it can be made up to 3 days before your guests arrive (it freezes well, too! I made mine a week ago and popped it in the freezer). Simply garnish right before serving.

Note: my cheesecakes are not overly sweet (I find when desserts are too sweet, you don’t taste any other flavours). I like to add a sweeter topping (in this case, a sweet citrus whipped cream) and get my sugar rush in a more subtle way. If you like a sweeter cheesecake, I suggest adding another ½ cup of sweetened condensed milk (total of 1 cup (250 mL) *you can use brown or white sugar instead of sweetened condensed milk *I just like the way the sweetened condensed milk incorporates into the filling making for a super smooth texture).

Also, I find using my food processor (12 cup) gives the best result for a silky texture (no lumps). If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a cake beater, just be sure your cream cheese is at room temperature (along with other filling ingredients) and beat well on high speed. Even if you end up with a few lumps in your cheesecake, it will still taste delicious.

Crust

• 2 cups (500 mL) gingersnap cookie crumbs (I purchase thin gingersnap cookies and buzz them up in my food processor alternatively, you can use Graham cracker crumbs)
• ¼ cup (60 mL) melted butter

Preheat the oven to 325 F (160 C). Stir together cookie crumbs and butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a parchment paper lined (or well greased) 9-inch (23 cm) round springform pan. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely while making the filling.

Filling

• 3 bricks (250 g – each) of cream cheese, room temperature, and cut into chunks
• 1 cup (250 mL) full-fat sour cream (I like Gay Lea Premium Gold 18% milk fat)
• ½ cup (125 mL) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 eggs
• Seeds of one vanilla bean OR 1 tbsp (15 mL) pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (250 mL) pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 3 tbsp (45 mL) quality dark rum
• 1 ½ tsp (7 mL) each of ground cinnamon and ground ginger
• ½ tsp (2 mL) each of ground nutmeg, ground cardamom and salt

Garnish and topping:

• ¾ cup (175 mL) 35% whipping cream
• ¼ cup (60 mL) icing sugar
• ½ tsp (2 mL) finely grated orange zest
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) vanilla extract
• Cinnamon sticks and ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions

1. Place cream cheese in a bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until fairly smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl when needed.
2. Add sour cream, condensed milk, eggs, and vanilla and pulse until well combined.
3. Add pumpkin, rum, and spices and pulse until very well combined.
4. Pour the mixture evenly over the prepared crust.
5. Bake in the center of the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the center is set, but still slightly jiggly.
6. Turn the oven off and open the oven door slightly. Let cheesecake cool in the oven for about one hour (this will help prevent the top from cracking).
7. Refrigerate until ready to serve (up to three days).

Garnish

When ready to serve: whip cream with icing sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Beat in orange zest and vanilla. Dollop in a mound on top of cheesecake. Top with cinnamon sticks and sprinkle with ground cinnamon (if using). Makes 12 servings.

Pumpkin Spice Pudding (vegan and gluten-free)

A decadent yet guilt-free-ish indulgence = more room for extra gravy and stuffing.. ha! ha! I like to garnish each portion of pudding with whipped cream (not vegan…but either am I)…to me, Thanksgiving is not Thanksgiving without copious amounts of whipped cream served with dessert. A dollop of coconut yogurt would work well too!!

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp (45 mL) cornstarch
• 2 cups (500 mL) unsweetened almond milk, divided or milk of choice: cows, oat, cashew, rice
• ½ cup (125 mL) brown sugar
• 1 cup (250 mL) pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
• 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp (2 mL) ground ginger
• ⅛ tsp each of salt, nutmeg, and cardamom
• 2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla extract *or seeds of half a vanilla bean

Directions

1. Stir together cornstarch and ⅓ cup (75 mL) of milk. Set aside.
2. Whisk the remaining milk with sugar, pumpkin puree, and spices in a heavy-bottom saucepan. Set pan over medium heat and cook, whisking, until mixture comes to a gentle boil, about 10 minutes. Re-stir cornstarch/milk mixture, and whisk into heated milk/pumpkin mixture. Whisk until the milk/pumpkin mixture becomes thick (about one minute).
3. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.
4. Cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.
5. Divide pudding evenly between 4 serving dishes. Makes 4 (approx ½ cup (125 mL)) servings.