Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Marscapone Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pumpkin Seed Brittle (gluten-free!)



Thanksgiving is going to be a lot different this year for most of us. If you are planning a dinner that is much smaller in attendance than normal, this pumpkin cheesecake would be a perfect dessert. Not that it's small in size or lower on decadence (to the contrary, it will feed at least a dozen people and is lusciously rich!)... but even if you are hosting a thanksgiving of just 2 people, this dessert will last in your frig for weeks, and be just as tasty as the week you made it. Make it for Thanksgiving, enjoy until Christmas.... now THAT is a Covid silver lining! 


This is not a Cheesecake Factory cake. Those sicky sweet, clangy disasters of dessert are what give cheesecake such a bad rap. This cheesecake is silky smooth and heavenly. Don't forgo the marscapone nor the bain marie for baking it. Both add to its luscious, smooth, divine texture. Marscapone lasts for months unopened in the frig, so I always pick some up when I'm in a store that has it. When I get home I tuck it in the back of my frig for those unrelenting dreary winter days when your spirit needs a pick-me-up. A good cheesecake never fails to please - whether it's a big event like Thanksgiving or just another dreary November Tuesday.









Marscapone Pumpkin Cheesecake

adapted from Bon Appetit


  • 9 ounces gluten-free graham crackers or gingersnaps or a combination
  • 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
  • 1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1¼ cups light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger 
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 24 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 8 ounces marscapone, room temperature
  • 1 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp salt



Preheat the oven to 350. Pulse graham crackers/gingersnaps in food processor until it is all crumbs. Pour in the melted butter and process again until the texture resembles wet sand - about 1 minute more. Put mixture into a 9-inch springform pan and press it down evenly across the bottom of the pan. Bake for about 10 minutes. Set the pan aside to allow the crust to cool completely before filling and baking. Crust can be made the day before.

Start the pumpkin seed brittle while the crust bakes. Mix the pepitas, maple syrup, and salt in a small bowl. Spread out onto a silicone baking mat placed on top of a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 until the syrup is bubbling and the color is a golden brown. Set aside to let cool completely.

Heat up a full tea kettle of water (for the bain marie used for baking the cheesecake). Wipe out the food processor to use it again to mix the filling. Process the eggs, egg yolks, pumpkin puree, sugar, spices, vanilla and salt until very smooth. Add the cream cheese and marscapone and process until completely smooth and the cream cheese has all been incorporated, about 2 minutes. 

Put a clean kitchen towel in the bottom of large roasting pan. Wrap the outside of the crust pan with aluminum foil and place on top of the towel in the pan. Pour the filling into the pan. Place roasting pan in the oven and then fill the roasting pan with boiling water until the water comes halfway up the springform pan. (The foil is so that if your springform pan is not water-tight that no water comes in contact with the cheesecake.) Bake until the edges are set and the center is still wobbly, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the bain marie and let cool at room temperature for 2 hours. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Can be made several days in advance. 

Break up the pumpkin seed brittle and use it to decorate. Either line the edges of the cake with large pieces or pile it up artfully atop the cake. (In my photos I did both and the effect was not as elegant as one or the other!) You will have extra brittle, serve it alongside.

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