Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Mini Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecakes


Stop whatever you're doing, print this recipe, and go make it. Seriously. I don't think I've ever tasted anything so amazing in my life. How good is it? Let's just say that I ate 3 of these for dinner...and then had to follow it up with some veggies so I could feel a little better about myself. I just couldn't stop, they are way too good. If you're never made cheesecake before, this is a great place to start. The mini cheesecakes are much more forgiving than the larger variety, take less time, and you can cover any cracks with the topping and it still looks perfect.

Mini Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecakes

Crust
13 ginger snaps
1/4 cup pecans
2 Tb. butter, melted

Filling
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Neufchatel 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves

Topping
18 pecan halves
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 18 regular size muffin cups with papers (or, if using mini cheesecake pans, spray lightly with butter flavored cooking spray).
2. Put ginger snaps and pecans in food processor or small chopper. Process until fine crumbs, about 1 minute. Mix crumbs with melted butter and divide evenly among muffin cups. Press firmly with shot glass or fingers.
3. Bake crusts for 10 minutes. Decrease oven temperature to 300°F.
4. Beat cream cheese, 3/8 cup of the sugar and the vanilla with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Reserve 3/4 cup of plain batter in small bowl. Stir remaining 1/8 cup sugar, the pumpkin and spices into remaining batter. Spoon half of the pumpkin batter evenly among muffin cups; top with spoonfuls of half of reserved plain batter. Top with remaining pumpkin batter. Cut through batter several times with knife to swirl.
5. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes. Move to refrigerator and chill for at least 3 hours before serving. Just before serving top each mini cheesecake with one pecan half and drizzle with caramel topping.


4 comments:

Amy said...

Oh my gosh! I want that. I might break my sugarfast just for that......

Mica said...

wow, that looks amazing!

macbezz said...

I think I'll pass on making it. At least until you come up with a cream cheeseless recipe. Very pretty though.

Jeni said...

Yummy!!! I really love the pumpkin shape- so festive!! And it looks amazing; I have never been ambitious enough to try making cheesecake, but I may just have to try this one out!

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