11.22.12 - Giving Thanks

We enjoyed a fun and relaxed Thanksgiving with friends and adorable canine Mr. Beau. Dinner was superb - the fried turkey was excellent, moist with a flavorful rub by Chef Elliott, and Dan's pumpkin cheesecake with hazelnut crust was a sinfully scrumptious dessert (see recipe below).

Pumpkin-Hazelnut Cheesecake
Sometimes hazelnut flour is sold as meal. If you find toasted nut flour (or meal), skip step 2.
Cooking Light Magazine November 2012 issue
Yield: Serves 14; Hands-on: 50 Minutes; Total: 9 Hours, 55 Minutes

Cake Ingredients
    •    2.25 ounces hazelnut flour (about 1/2 cup)
    •    1/2 cup sugar
    •    2 tablespoons canola oil
    •    2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
    •    2 large egg whites
    •    1 tablespoon Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur)
    •    1.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
    •    1/4 teaspoon baking powder
    •    Dash of salt
    •    Baking spray with flour

Cheesecake Ingredients
    •    1 1/2 cups 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
    •    1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
    •    3/4 cup sugar
    •    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    •    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    •    1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
    •    1/4 teaspoon salt
    •    2 large eggs
    •    2 large egg yolks
    •    1 cup unsweetened pumpkin

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare cake, sprinkle hazelnut flour evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until the color of peanut butter, stirring once. Cool.
3. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, oil, and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add egg whites; beat until well blended. Add liqueur; beat 1 minute.
4. Weigh or lightly spoon all-purpose flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine hazelnut flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and dash of salt in a bowl. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture. Beat at low speed 1 minute. Spoon batter evenly into a 9-inch springform pan coated with baking spray. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 300°.
6. To prepare cheesecake, place cream cheese and ricotta cheese in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium-high speed until smooth (about 3 minutes). Add 3/4 cup sugar and next 6 ingredients (through egg yolks); beat at low speed until smooth. Add pumpkin; stir gently until combined. Pour cheesecake batter over top of cooled cake. Bake at 300° for 1 hour or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove cheesecake from oven. Run a knife around outside edge. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.
7. Slice cheesecake and top each serving with a large squirt of Reddi Wip© whipped topping

Nutrional Information, Amount per serving
Calories: 284; Fat: 14.6g; Saturated fat: 5.3g; Monounsaturated fat: 6.5g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.6g; Protein: 6.4g; Carbohydrate: 31.9g; Fiber: 1.3g; Cholesterol: 77mg; Iron: 1mg; Sodium: 175mg; Calcium: 79mg

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