pumpkin

Somehow I got in my head I wanted Pumpkin Cheesecake this year for Thanksgiving dessert. I knew I wanted a gingersnap crust and a little shot of something to deepen the flavor. Having recently stocked the liquor cabinet for the holidays, it came to me. I would use rum as my flavoring. Zaya Rum to be exact. Zaya is an amber rum from Trinidad and Tobago, a friend introduced us to awhile back. With heady notes of caramel and vanilla, it is Rummy Yummy! It makes an amazing eggnog, but is actually wonderful all on its own! My cheesecake recipe is inspired by the Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake in Gourmet Magazine, November 2003. My changes are the liquor and the gingersnaps.

For the Crust

1 9″ Springform pan, buttered

4 1/2 ounces gingersnaps (about 1 cup when ground)

1/2 cup pecans

1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) melted butter

Combine all the dry ingredients in a food processor. Process until finely ground.

Add the melted butter and pulse a couple more times to blend. Pat the mixture into the pan. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

For the Filling

Pre heat oven to 350′

1 15oz can organic pumpkin puree

2 large eggs

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tablespoons sour cream

1/4 cup Zaya Rum

1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon Salt

3 8 ounce packages of Cream Cheese

Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer, and whip until soft. In another bowl, combine the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, sour cream, rum, spices and salt. Mix well. Add this mixture to the cream cheese and blend until smooth and completely mixed.

Pour the filling into the crust, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake until the center is set – about 60-75 minutes.

For the Sour Cream Topping

1 1/2 cups of sour cream

1 teaspoon rum

1 teaspoon sugar Mix all together in a small bowl.

Apply to top of cheesecake as directed below.

Move the cheesecake to a rack to cool, 5 minutes. Top with the sour cream topping, and bake 5 more minutes.

Allow the cheesecake to cool completely on rack. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

I have been making these rolls at Thanksgiving for over 20 years. They are light, delicious and fill the house with the most amazing aroma. To avoid the last minuteness of a holiday meal, I make them ahead, par-bake and freeze them. The recipe is from one of my favorite books on vegetables: Greene on Greens, by Bert Greene. He states the recipe comes from a New Hampshire Methodist church bulletin, printed around the turn of the century!

For the rolls – makes about 2 dozen (I doubled the recipe)

Note – 3 hours rising time, 15 minutes prep/mix time, 15 minutes bake time

1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/4 cup lukewarm water

3 cups all-purpose flour, approximately

3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 cup pureed, cooked pumpkin (you can use good quality organic, canned pumpkin – just make sure it is NOT pumpkin pie mix. A small sugar pie pumpkin, roasted and pureed produces the exact amount needed!)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup good quality, pure maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup stone-ground whole-wheat flour

My directions are different then the original recipe as I use my Kitchen Aide mixer and the bread hook attachment and do not do any mixing/kneading by hand.

In the mixer bowl, combine the yeast, granulated sugar and warm water. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of the all-purpose flour. Cover with a cloth and let rise for 1 hour.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and pour in medium bowl. Beat in the brown sugar, salt, pumpkin, egg, maple syrup and cinnamon.

Add this mixture to the yeast, sugar flour mixture. Beat until smooth.

Add the whole-wheat flour and enough all-purpose flour to make a firm dough. Mix on medium speed for about 5-7 minutes. Add flour about 1/2 cup at a time, as shown in the video. (Dough is right consistency when it begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl, the sides of the bowl are clean, the dough is smooth and not sticky and forms a ball.) Cover and let rise for 2 hours.

Punch the dough down and transfer to a floured work surface. Knead briefly and roll out until about 1/2 inch thick. Cut dough into 1 inch circles. Place on a flour rubbed baking sheet. Cover with a towel and let rise 1 hour.

Pre-heat oven to 425′. Melt the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter and brush the tops of the rolls with it.

Bake 15 minutes, if you intend to eat them the same day you make them. Otherwise bake 7 minutes, let cool, cover with plastic wrap and freeze. On the day you wish to serve them, remove from freezer about an hour before baking. Bake about 7 more minutes at 425′.

Thank you Dave, for the video!

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