Double Layer Pumpkin Spice Latte Cheesecake

So, I made a thing:  

Pardon my crappy pictures, but I took them just a little bit ago.  It's 4:23 am right now.

I think the drink is vile, but I thought it would translate well to cheesecake form.  It did!  OMG this cheesecake is sooooooooo creamy and rich. I didn't use too much sugar, either.  You can kind of see the individual layers, but the colors are pretty similar.

Crust:

·         1 box gingersnaps, finely crushed  (I had about 1 ½ cups of crumbs)

·         6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Mix butter and gingersnap crumbs and press into bottom and partially up the sides of a 9” spring form pan.

Latte Layer:

·         20 oz. softened cream cheese (2 ½ packages)

·         2 eggs

·         ½ cup sour cream

·         1 ½ tablespoons espresso powder

·         1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

·         ¾ cup sugar

Pumpkin Spice Layer:

·         20 oz. softened cream cheese

·         2 eggs

·         ½ cup sour cream

·         1 8-oz. can pumpkin puree

·         1 cup sugar

·         1 ½ tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

·         1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Combine ingredients for latte layer until smooth.  A food processor works best.  Spoon into the crust.

Combine ingredients for pumpkin spice layer until smooth. Spoon evenly and gently on top of latte layer.

Wrap bottom of pan in foil Place pan in a water bath.  I used a large skillet for this, but you could use a roasting pan or whatever the spring form will fit in.  (Heat some water and pour about ½ - ¾ inch into the other pan.)

Bake cheesecake at 325 for about  1 ¾ hours, until middle is set.  Run a knife around the edge. Remove from roasting pan/skillet.  Cool.  Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.   

Once in a Blue Moon

The year 2009 has almost drawn to a close. I hope everyone who attends New Year's Eve parties has a safe night tomorrow night. How fortunate we are that the new year coincides with a blue moon! Tis surely hoped it is a sign of good things to come.

Tomorrow night I am going to attend a party at a co-worker's house in Istinye. In honor of the blue moon, I have decided to make a Once in a Bleu Moon Cheesecake. Yes, I said "bleu". This won't be a sweet dessert cheesecake, nosirree! I'm making a savory bleu cheese cheesecake.

A few weeks ago my uncle attended a dinner for some Catholic organization he belongs to. The dessert was a bleu cheese cheesecake with sliced apples. That got me to thinkin', as we say in W.Va. I thought, I could make that! I just need a recipe to use as a guideline, being terrible with measurements as I am.

I think I have found a good recipe to start with. I'll add my own touches to it, of course. I'm going to make a walnut crust, or perhaps walnut and pecan together. I think I will serve sliced apples and pears, as well as a selection of dried fruits (perhaps rehydrated into some sort of compote?) alongside. This is the sort of appetizer/party snack you want to serve in small pieces, as it sounds fantastically rich and decadent. Best to eat it now, so you don't ruin your new year's resolutions of diet and exercise. ;)

*Dairy foods such as cheese are good also good for Imbolc and Beltane
*Nuts are good grounding foods