Vanilla-Bourbon Pumpkin Tart

Graham crackers and pecans encrust the spirited, spiced filling. Dollop each serving with sweetened whipped cream.

 

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 wedge and about 1 tablespoon whipped cream)

Ingredients

  • Crust:
  • 3/4  cup  graham cracker crumbs (about 5 cookie sheets)
  • 1  tablespoon  finely chopped pecans
  • 1  teaspoon  granulated sugar
  • 1  tablespoon  butter, melted
  • Cooking spray
  • Filling:
  • 1  cup  (8 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2  cup  granulated sugar
  • 1/4  cup  packed light brown sugar
  • 1  (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin
  • 2  large eggs
  • 2  tablespoons  bourbon
  • 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
  • 1/4  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
  • 1/8  teaspoon  ground allspice
  • Remaining ingredients:
  • 1/3  cup  cold heavy cream
  • 2  teaspoons  powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare crust, combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle butter over crumb mixture; stir with a fork. Firmly press into bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes or until lightly browned; cool on a wire rack.

3. To prepare filling, beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add pumpkin and eggs; beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add bourbon and the next 5 ingredients (through ground allspice); beat 1 minute or until combined. Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan. Place pan in a large roasting pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until center barely moves when side of pan is tapped. Cool completely on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Place cream and powdered sugar in a small bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Serve sweetened whipped cream with tart.

 

Pumpkin Ginger Waffles

Source:  Country Living October 2009

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup crystallized ginger (finely diced)

2 large eggs

1/4 c. buttermilk

1/2 c. canned pumpkin puree (about half a can)

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

3 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Instructions:

Preheat waffle iron.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Remove 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture and toss with crystallized ginger in a small bowl.  Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, pumpkin, sugar, vanilla. Whisk in flour mixture until combined. Stir in butter. Fold in reserved crystallized ginger mixture.  Do not overmix.

Scoop about 1/2 c. of the batter into the waffle iron and cook to your desired doneness. Keep the finished waffles in the oven at 200 degrees to stay warm.

Ginger Pumpkin Cheesecake

Source:  Cooking Light December 2008

Make this cake a day ahead, and refrigerate. Large crystals of raw brown Demerara sugar look and taste lovely, but the cake is still delicious without it. To prevent the crust from sticking to your fingers while pressing it into the pan, lightly coat your hands with cooking spray.

Yield

12 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 1  cup  graham cracker crumbs (about 7 cookie sheets)
  • 3  tablespoons  granulated sugar
  • 1/2  teaspoon  ground ginger
  • 1  large egg white
  • Cooking spray

    Filling:

  • 1  (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
  • 1  (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4  cup  granulated sugar
  • 1  tablespoon  vanilla extract
  • 2  teaspoons  fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2  teaspoon  ground ginger
  • 1  (15-ounce) can pumpkin
  • 3  large eggs
  • 1  tablespoon  Demerara sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare crust, combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl; toss with a fork until well blended. Press crumb mixture into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

3. Reduce oven temperature to 300°.

4. To prepare filling, place cream cheeses in a food processor; process until smooth. Add 3/4 cup granulated sugar and next 4 ingredients (through pumpkin); process until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time; process well after each addition. Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 300° for 50 minutes or until almost set. Turn oven off; partially open oven door. Cool cheesecake in oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill 8 hours. Sprinkle with Demerara sugar just before serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 194 (28% from fat)
Fat: 6.1g (sat 3.3g,mono 2g,poly 0.6g)
Protein: 7.5g
Carbohydrate: 27.1g
Fiber: 1.3g
Cholesterol: 60mg
Iron: 1mg
Sodium: 254mg
Calcium: 67mg

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