cheesecake
Have you ever bit into a strawberry and had an epiphany of “Ohh! This is love !!”. Or, looked at someone you love and think, “Ohhhh, caramel?!”. No! Because that is not really how love works. So, I have decided to rebrand Valentine to the real, authentic and multi-dimensional… atleast in the foods we use to represent and celebrate love. Today, I bring you the first idea, a tease of a dish…
I present to you Blue CheeseCake topped with Honey and Sage Roasted Grapes.
Read More
Years ago, when I lived in the UES, I would hike a mile North every so often to stock up on fresh corn tortillas, avocados (I was not a prolific eater of it then!), mangoes, and the CHILLIES! Since I moved out, I have been .. well.. rather cheating on the cuisine, tagging every taco I made as it, every chill-chocolate rub as dry mole.
Anyway, now I have seen the light. Amongst all the amazing things I discovered in the span of a patient 30 minutes were.....
Read More
Today's post is prompted by a saying on a tee that one of the staff is wearing today at the place where I work for free and pay for over-priced coffee (ok, really wifi-priced coffee)
"Sorry, I am Different" it says.
So, I told her "Don't be!" and she laughed sheepishly. Why?!
I have always known I was different. I couldn't quite describe how or why but growing up in India, I just felt like deer caught in headlights all the time. ...
Read More
Look around you.. Isn't it a beautiful time of the year?! Whichever part of the world you are in, the festive cheer is in and around you. It's impossible to stay sad or grumpy or anything negative for more than a moment at this time...
All you need to do is look up and inevitably, see someone smiling and you reflexively imitate. Who cares about anything else! :)
So, around this time, I am usually knee deep in baking and completely overwhelmed by all my crazy Holiday cooking and table ideas. But, this year, I decided to travel! So, ahem!
Or... I am just being lazy... haha..
Nevertheless, I have not been storming the kitchen the whole lot and it's getting the much needed R&R after years of abuse ;-)
I did, however, make this no-bake cheesecake inspired by Holiday flavors and sudden intense need to make cheesecake after an overdose of Penny, Sheldon and the motley crew!
Incidentally, when I was browsing about, I found out that the Cheesecake Factory in Vegas is one of the highest rated ones of the chain. Also, confession time, I have never eaten in any of the locations, even though Vegas is one of my favorite weekend getaway destinations! No, I don't gamble but there are tons of other things to do! {I should probably write a post on getting around Vegas without being Casino-ed out, sometime!}
Anyway, back to my
Pumpkin and Pecan Cheesecake
. There! I have given away the punch line! :) Perhaps, I am bit late in joining the pumpkin bandwagon but after having made this, this and this, I was waiting for a new twist before I put up something here.
So, here you go - a fluffy, light cheesecake made with Mascarpone with an Oreo crust and spiced pumpkin and vanilla pecan cheesecake layers!
This is also my entry into two awesome themed blogger events going on this month!
's Monthly Mingle hosted by
this month and
!
Pumpkin and Pecan No-Bake Cheesecake
(makes one 8 inch cake)
For the crust
10 Oreo cookies, sans cream
3 T butter, melted
For the pumpkin layer
10 oz unsweetened pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
8 oz mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup heavy cream, boiling
1/4 cup sugar
1 envelope gelatin
1 tsp nutmeg
3 T Disaronno or other Amaretto
1 tsp almond extract
For the Pecan Layer
1/4 cup pecans, toasted and crushed
8 oz mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup cold heavy cream
4 T milk
1/2 envelope gelatin
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
To make the crust, process the oreos until fine. Add the melted butter and process again until they start clumping together. Press the mixture evenly onto the base of a 8 inch spring form pan. Refrigerate for 20 or so minutes for the crust to firm up.
Meanwhile, start with the pumpkin layer. Whisk together the puree, mascarpone and nutmeg. In a bowl, mix the gelatin and sugar and pour boiling cream and quickly dissolve the gelatin. Pour the gelatin mixture into the pumpkin bowl and mix thoroughly. Fold in the liquer and extract.
Pour the pumpkin cheese mixture into the pan and smooth the top. Freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate for atleast an hour, to allow the gelatin to set sufficiently to make the next layer.
For the pecan layer, I find the easiest way to crush pecans is fold them in foil and beat them with a rolling pin. Also great for the angst! ;-)
Beat together the cheese, vanilla paste and two tablespoons of milk to loosen and fluff up the cheese. Prepare the gelatin mixture same as before with the remaining milk. Add this into the cheese mixture and whip to spread the gelatin evenly. Set aside. Whip up the cream into stiff peaks and gently fold into the cheese mixture. Fold in pecans.
Pour this layer on top of the setting pumpkin layer. Cover with wrap and refrigerate for atleast 3 more hours before decorating as desired, un-molding and serving.