Pumpkin Three Ways

I'll bet you weren't expecting me today or a recipe. But it's nearly time to gather together and while others are talking turkey, we are going to talk pumpkin. I have no need to talk turkey. I did that last week when I called my favorite barbecue place and ordered a smoked turkey. I can roast turkey. Anyone can. But we like smoked turkey and I do not have have the information, equipment, or inclination to do that. Who I have is The Guy, who will go pick it up for me, while I make dressing and his favorite cranberry Jezebel sauce.

And there is the pumpkin. The Guy loves pumpkin. I won't be making all of these on Thanksgiving, but I have made them all in the last few weeks. None of them require cooking a raw pumpkin. Enjoy!

***

This is a recent discovery. I took it to my RWA chapter meeting last week to celebrate a member's sale. It was a big hit. Plus, it's so easy that it could be a good Turkey morning breakfast. After all, why not start the day will cake? It's just going to get worse.

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake

Ingredients

• ⅓ cups Water
• 1 can Pureed Pumpkin (15 Oz)
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• 1 box Yellow Cake Mix (18 Ounce Box)
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 cup Brown Sugar, Divided
• ½ cups Flour
• ⅓ cups Walnuts, Chopped
• 4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
• ¼ cups Granulated Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ¼ cups Heavy Whipping Cream

Preparation Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large bowl mix together the water, pumpkin, eggs, 1 Tablespoon of vanilla, and spices until well combined. Add the cake mix and baking soda and mix until just combined.

Grease a 9×13 pan with butter and pour batter into pan.

In a small bowl mix together 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, walnuts, and melted butter. Use fingers to sprinkle over the top of the cake. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

For the glaze, combine the other 1/2 cup brown sugar, granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and heavy cream in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir until all sugar is dissolved.

When cake is finished baking, poke holes in the top with a toothpick. Pour glaze over the cake, making sure to cover all surfaces. Serve cake warm or at room temperature.

***

As I mentioned, The Guy loves pumpkin but pumpkin pie is his absolute favorite. He asks for it instead of cake on his birthday. I make my crust but you don't have too. In fact, I find that this makes too much filling for my pie pans so I always end up with 3 or 4 custard cups of baked filling.

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 Tbs. cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup milk
• Prebaked and cooled deep-dish pie crust

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 375ºF.

In a bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Add the pumpkin, eggs, cream and milk and whisk to combine.

Pour the filling into the prebaked pie crust and bake until the center is set, 60 to 65 minutes, covering the edges of the crust with aluminum foil after 30 minutes if they brown too quickly.

Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool completely, at least 2 hours, before serving. Serves 10.

***

I am not going to lie to you. This takes some time and I'd hate to do it without a stand mixer. But it isn't hard and there are those in my life who say this is the best think I make.

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

Makes one 9-inch cake, serving 12 to 16.

Ingredients

• Crust
• 5ounces graham crackers (9 whole crackers), broken into large pieces
• 3tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4teaspoon ground cloves
• 6tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
• Filling
• 1 1/3cups granulated sugar (10 1/3 ounces)
• 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4teaspoon allspice
• 1/2teaspoon table salt
• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
• 1 1/2pounds cream cheese , cut into 1-inch chunks and left to soften at room temperature, about 30 minutes
• 1tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1tablespoon lemon juice from 1 lemon
• 5 large eggs , left at room temperature, about 30 minutes
• 1cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. 1. FOR THE CRUST: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan evenly with nonstick cooking spray. Pulse crackers, sugar, and spices in food processor until evenly and finely ground, about fifteen 2-second pulses. Transfer crumbs to medium bowl, drizzle melted butter over, and mix with rubber spatula until evenly moistened. Turn crumbs into prepared springform pan and, using hand, spread crumbs into even layer. Using flat-bottomed ramekin or drinking glass, press crumbs evenly into pan bottom, then use a soup spoon to press and smooth crumbs into edges of pan. Bake until fragrant and browned about the edges, about 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling.

2. 2. FOR THE FILLING: Bring about 4 quarts water to simmer in stockpot. Whisk sugar, spices, and salt in small bowl; set aside. To dry pumpkin (see illustrations below): Line baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels. Spread pumpkin on paper towels in roughly even layer. Cover pumpkin with second triple layer of paper towels and press firmly until paper towels are saturated. Peel back top layer of towels and discard. Grasp bottom towels and fold pumpkin in half; peel back towels. Repeat and flip pumpkin onto baking sheet; discard towel.

3. 3. In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, beat cream cheese at medium speed to break up and soften slightly, about 1 minute. Scrape beater and bottom and sides of bowl well with rubber spatula. Add about one third of sugar mixture and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute; scrape bowl and add remaining sugar in two additions, scraping bowl after each addition. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat at medium speed until combined, about 45 seconds; scrape bowl. Add 3 eggs and beat at medium-low until incorporated, about 1 minute; scrape bowl. Add remaining 2 eggs and beat at medium-low until incorporated, about 45 seconds; scrape bowl. Add heavy cream and beat at low speed until combined, about 45 seconds. Using rubber spatula, scrape bottom and sides of bowl and give final stir by hand.

4. 4. Set springform pan with cooled crust on 18-inch-square doubled layer heavy-duty foil and wrap bottom and sides with foil; set wrapped springform pan in roasting pan. Pour filling into springform pan and smooth surface; set roasting pan in oven and pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until center of cake is slightly wobbly when pan is shaken, and center of cake registers 145 to 150 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 1 1/2 hours (see note). Set roasting pan on wire rack and use paring knife to loosen cake from sides of pan. Cool until water is just warm, about 45 minutes. Remove springform pan from water bath, discard foil, and set on wire rack; continue to cool until barely warm, about 3 hours. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.

5. 5. TO SERVE: Slide thin metal spatula between crust and pan bottom to loosen, then slide cake onto serving platter. Let cheesecake stand at room temperature about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.