Lightened up Pumpkin Cheesecake w/Gingersnap Crust

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE WITH A LITTLE LESS GUILT

have seconds and thirds at dinner and still enjoy a "lite" holiday favorite.

it's not your "New York style" cheesecake...

but it fits the bill after the big Thanksgiving throwdown.

the taste and texture is a cross between cheesecake and pumpkin pie...it could probably use a little more cream cheese for that real "cheesecake" flavor, BUT we're trying to keep this light.

a piece of cake (1/12th) without the crust is about 160 calories...the fats are low and the protein is significantly better than your typical holiday treat.

beware...the crust is "real-stuff" so it's probably another 150 cals.

i recently posted about Martha Stewart's EASY Lightened Up Cheesecake, BUT...

Thanksgiving calls out for PUMPKIN

so i went with the basic ingredients and instructions from her cake and blindly adapted it to a pumpkin cheesecake.  the outcome was delicious and light after a big meal and fabulous for that piece of "midnight pie" or morning after slice.

GINGERSNAP CRUST

280g gingersnap cookies

3 Tbsp melted butter

1 Tbsp brown sugar, packed

preheat oven to 325 F

lightly butter a 9" springform

line side panel with a strip of parchment
NOTE...i don't know if i like the parchment idea.  this is what Martha Stewart said to do in the original recipe for her "Lightened Up Cheesecake".  i know the calories are in the crust, but i think it makes for a more attractive cake with the crust a little further up the sides...AND i'm not sure the parchment is necessary...you be the judge.

pulse gingersnaps in processor until fine crumb.  it helps to give it  a stir between pulses to insure an even crumb...no large chunks, but you don't really want "powder".

add butter and brown sugar.  pulse to combine.

pour crumb mixture into prepared pan.

NOTE...i did not use all of it.  i had about 1/2 cup left over.

press onto bottom and about an inch up the sides.  you can just do the bottom if you want.

bake for 10 minutes and remove to cool.

simply wipe out your food processor from your crust making and proceed with cake mixture.

LIGHTENED UP PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

i adapted this from Martha's Lightened Up Cheesecake recipe

oven is heated to 325F

1 1/4 cup (10oz)  low fat cream cheese.

2 cups low fat cottage cheese
1 cup pumpkin puree

3/4 cups granulated sugar.   (i sub'd in 1/4 cup Stevia baking sugar)

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

4 large eggs

2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp all purpose flour

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

to the processor add the cottage cheese and cream cheese.  blend until VERY SMOOTH, scraping down the sides, 4-5 minutes.  add pumpkin puree, 3/4 cups sugar, sour cream, eggs, flour, vanilla, pie spice, cinnamon, salt.  blend until smooth and well incorporated.
pour filling into crust.
bake until barely set in the middle.  about 1 hour...
NOTE...ovens may vary.  i am an "oven watcher".  look for a slight jiggle in the middle.
then turn the oven off and let cake sit in oven with door "cracked" open for another hour.
transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.  refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.
I WOULD SUGGEST serving this the day of after it has been properly chilled to keep the integrity of the crust...it can get a little weepy/soggy if kept a day or two in the fridge, BUT the actual cake will hold up for days.

before serving.....
the cake will sweat a little on the top after removing from the fridge.  i find that dabbing with a Kleenex will remove sweat without making a mark on the surface.
put pecans or chosen decorations on before serving so they will still be crunchy.

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Martha's Easy Light Cheesecake

heavy holidays are on the way...

you might want to lighten things up a bit.

start with this absolutely delicious light cheesecake.
so easy to prepare.
ALL DONE IN THE FOOD PROCESSOR
and baked with NO WATER BATH
no one will suspect the ingredients.  friends and family had no idea the main ingredient was cottage cheese.  don't say anything...

LET THE TASTE AND TEXTURE WIN THEM OVER.

the original recipe is for a 9" cake, but i made mine in an 8" then made 2  individuals in small mason jars with cookie crumbs at the bottom.

THESE WERE BAKED FOR 30 MINUTES.

CHOCOLATE COOKIE CRUST

28 Nabisco Chocolate Wafers
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
4 Tbsp melted butter

put wafers in possessor and pulse until crumb texture.  add sugar and butter and process again.  pour crumb mixture into springform pan and tamp down with something flat.  gently press mixture up the sides.  it's a bit crumbly, but as you can see...it's do-able.
this Martha original recipe does not require going up the sides, but i found it to look more attractive.  (you shall see an example in my Lightened Up Pumpkin Pie recipe soon)

MOST OF THE CALORIES ARE IN THE CRUST SO YOU BE THE JUDGE...

bake at 325 for 12-15 minutes.  remove to cool.

NOTE...i did not use all the crust mixture and as you can see i had a nice thick crust all the way up the sides of an 8 inch pan.  better to have too much than not enough.

simply wipe out processor and begin to prepare mixture  for cake.

MARTHA'S  LIGHT CHEESECAKE 

from Martha Stewart. 

3 cups low fat cottage cheese

8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, room temp.

3/4 cup  granulated sugar

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

4 large eggs

2 Tbsp all purpose flour

2 tsp vanilla extract (Martha called for 1 tsp)

1/2 tsp salt

preheat oven to 325 degrees.

have prepared crust as noted above, or crust from original found in link.

as noted i used an 8" springform pan and had leftover.

blend cottage cheese and cream cheese until very very smooth and glossy, scraping down sides as necessary, about 4-5 minutes.  add 3/4 cup sugar, sour cream, eggs, flour, vanilla, salt and blend until filling is completely smooth.

pour filling into prepared crust.  bake until barely set in the middle, ABOUT 1 HOUR.  there should be some "jiggle".  TURN OFF THE OVEN and let the cake cool in the oven for 1 more hour.  i left the oven door slightly open...very slightly!  transfer to wire rack and let cool to room temp for 2 hours, then refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

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Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting with White Vanilla Bean Cake

actually this is a ....

double layer...
WHITE VANILLA BEAN CAKE
DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE filling
with CANDIED MACADAMIA
and...QUICK WHITE VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

whew...that was too much for the heading.

a lovely cake for any occasion. small crumb, similar to a pound cake, but not too heavy.  holds up well and has a nice vanilla bean flavor.  the frosting is key...THIS BUTTERCREAM RECIPE IS FABULOUS.  the first one i ever made and it came together perfectly.   REALLY...this is delicious and EASY.

the dark chocolate ganache counterbalanced the plain whiteness of the over all flavor and appearance.  it slices well and it's fairly easy to put together.  i will add that the chocolate shavings were supposed to be lovely chocolate curls...this is not an easy task.  i think i tried 3 or 4 times before i finally just went with the pile of shavings...i think i'll need a little more practice on the curls. 

WHITE VANILLA BEAN CAKE

found at Bite These Goodies

100g butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla paste

preheat oven to 360F.  butter a 9 inch cake pan and dust evenly with flour.
in a separate bowl mix the flour baking powder, baking soda, set aside.

in a big bowl place butter and sugar and beat until fluffy.  beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg.  when the buttery mixture is creamy, add 1/2 of the flour mixture and mix.  then add the buttermilk, mix again.  finally add the other 1/2 flour mixture and beat until creamy.  beat in vanilla until Incorporated.   this sounds like A LOT of mixing, but try not to over mix.

pour mixture into prepared pan.  bake for approx. 35-40 minutes.  mine took 30 minutes because i used a Fat Daddio's light cake pan.  check with skewer inserted in the middle of cake...should come out "just" clean.  remove from oven, let cool for about 10-15 minutes and remove from pan.  cool completely before frosting.

NOTE...if dividing into 2 layers you might want to refrigerate for just a bit before slicing in half.

ALSO...if you do not have a cake stand...IMPROVISE.  it is much easier to slice a cake in half when it is elevated off the board.  i used an upside down tupperware.  the taped napkin helps the cake stay in place and less likely to slip off.   use a long thin blade and score the outside, then slowly move your knife in towards the middle and around, watching that you are hitting your marks where you scored the cake.

PS...i also frost the cake on this lovely improvised cake stand.

QUICK VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

found at foodnetwork.com by Gale Gand

3 cups powdered sugar...sifted, 306 grams total
1 cup butter, cubed, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 2 Tbsp whipping cream

in a stand mixer fitted with whisk, mix together sugar and butter.  mix on low speed until well blended, then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes
add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium for 1 minute more, adding a little more cream if necessary for a spreading consistency.  i think i added about 1 Tbsp total.

DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE FILLING
with candied macadamia
NOTE...  there IS enough frosting to fill the center as well as cover the cake, but i didn't want a plain white on white cake.  this was something i added in at the time of building the cake.  i had some left-over ganache from plain truffles.  i crushed some candied macadamia nuts and added it to the left over ganache to make the filling.

this is approx. what i had.  you will probably not use all of it...get a spoon and finish it off, make a few truffles or use it for "drizzle sauce"
6 oz dark chocolate
6 oz heavy whipping cream

prepare your ganache...put chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl and set aside.  heat cream to a boil.  remove from heat and pour over chopped chocolate.  let sit for a minute.  begin stirring gently from the center.  you will see the ganache come together.  when it is fully incorporated, refrigerate until good spreadable consistency.  add nuts or whatever.  hmmm, maybe crunchy toffee chips?  you could use just ganache.

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