Pumpkin Cheesecake with Praline Sauce

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Really, do you need the excuse of a holiday to make cheesecake? Nevertheless, Thanksgiving gives us the perfect opportunity to use some of the pumpkin we’ve put away in the fall.

Serves 1 – 16, depending…

Ingredients Cheesecake

½ pound ricotta cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 cups pureed pumpkin
16 ounces cream cheese
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup butter
3 extra-large eggs    

3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
5 teaspoons vanilla
1½ to 2 tablespoons powdered ginger (to taste)
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Ingredients Praline Sauce

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 cup heavy cream

1 cup dark brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup chopped pecans    

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Allow the ricotta, sour cream, pumpkin, cream cheese and eggs all to come to room temperature. Melt the butter.
  2. Combine ricotta, sour cream and pumpkin in a mixing bowl.
  3. Beating slowly with an electric mixer, add cream cheese, sugar and melted butter.
  4. Increase speed to medium and add eggs, flour, cornstarch and vanilla.
  5. Add the ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat on the highest speed possible without spattering for 5 more minutes.  Pour mixture into a 10-inch springform pan.
  6. Bake 1 hour.  Turn heat off and leave in oven with door closed for one more hour.  
  7. Cool on rack for at least 1 hour.
  8. Meanwhile, make the praline sauce. Heat oven to 400° F. Spread pecans out on a baking sheet and toast lightly in the oven until aromatic and slightly browned.
  9. Stir butter, heavy cream, and brown sugar together in a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, stir pecans into the cream mixture, and simmer until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool and thicken.
  10. When ready to serve: reheat praline sauce if it has become too thick, then thinly coat each plate with a couple spoonfuls of sauce. Place the cheesecake on top of the sauce - add a dollop of whipped cream, if you like – and serve.

My husband says: I like to find a good eating pumpkin or squash before Halloween, and make my own pumpkin puree. My favorite are the red Cinderella pumpkins, known majestically in France as “potiron rouge vif d'étampes”. I’ve also had good luck with the Red Kuri squash. I cut the pumpkin/squash into flat wedges and roast in the oven until softened and lightly browned to intensify the flavor and evaporate some of the water. Then I scrape the flesh off the peel. If it still seems watery, place flesh into a large pot and reduce a bit more to get a good thick consistency. Then puree, in batches, in a food processor. Use what you need, freeze the rest; and don’t forget to save the seeds and roast them for snacks!