Monday, November 21, 2005
Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars
These bars are a great seasonal treat--particularly for Thanksgiving, for obvious reasons! They combine pumpkin pie with a layer of cheesecake, all over a crunchy gingersnap crust. This recipe was adapted from a recipe by Kathleen Desmond Stang, in her book Zucchini, Pumpkins, and Squash.
Ingredients:
Crust:
About 15 gingersnaps (about 2 inches in diameter--Nabisco makes good ones)
3 T. sugar
2-1/2 T. butter, melted
Filling:
11 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. low-fat sour cream
1/3 c. sugar
1 T. flour
1 large egg
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. pumpkin puree, canned or fresh
3 T. packed light brown sugar
1/2 t. pumpkin-pie spice
Step-by-step:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Liberally spray a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. To prepare the crust: Process the ginger cookies in a food processor or blender to fine crumbs. Measure out 3/4 cup of the crumbs and combine in a bowl with the sugar and melted butter. Pat in an even layer in the bottom of the prepared pan and bake on center oven rack 6 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes on a rack.
3. To prepare the filling: In a food processor or electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar and flour, blending until smooth. Add egg and vanilla, blending well. Scrape down sides and blend one more time, if there are still some dollops of cream cheese visible.
4. Place 3/4 cup of the cream-cheese mixture in a bowl and stir in the pumpkin, brown sugar, and pumpkin-pie spice.
5. Pour the plain cream-cheese mixture over the crumb layer in the pan. Pour the pumpkin mixture on top and swirl with a fork to make a decorative design. Bake 45 minutes or until firm in the middle when gently shaken. Cool 1 hour, and then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
6. Cut into 16 squares and serve.
Labels: desserts
