Pumpkin perfection: Use gourd to make unforgettable desserts

To make the graham cracker crust:

Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees and set the rack on the middle shelf.

Stir to combine graham crackers through salt in a bowl. Drizzle melted butter over ingredients and mix until evenly moistened.

Spray bottom and interior sides of one (1) cake pan (9-inch-by-3-inch) or individual baking dishes with non-stick spray.

Scoop crust ingredients into pans and press down evenly until smooth.  Use a flat bottom tool for best results (we use a baking mallet).

Bake until fragrant and  browned at the edges, about 15 minutes. Remove and cool on counter.

To make the cheesecake:

Prep ahead of time to remove some of the water content from the canned pumpkin:
Double fold plain white paper towels on a cookie sheet. Scoop pumpkin onto the towels and spread to height of 1/2 inch. Cover with single layer of paper towel; let sit for 30 minutes.

Whisk to combine the pumpkin, lemon juice and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Batter directions:
In a stand mixer with the flat beater, beat to smooth out the cream cheese on slow to medium speed for about 1 minute.

Combine sugar through salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend.

Scrape cream cheese from sides, reduce mixer to  lowest speed, add sugar mixture one third at a time. Allow each scoop to incorporate thoroughly before proceeding. To avoid aerating the batter, don’t run mixer on higher speeds than low.

Add the pumpkin mixture 1/4 cup at a time, waiting between additions for the contents to combine with the base batter.

Add the eggs one at a time, waiting between additions for the contents to combine with the base batter.

Add the cream in a slow drizzle. Stop the mixer, scrape the sides and run on low for another 20 seconds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans filling no more than 3/4 of the way. (The 9-inch-by-3-inch pan should hold one recipe with room to spare at the top. Higher pan helps protect from undue browning across the top.)

Place the filled cake pan in a roasting pan with high sides and place on the rack in the preheated oven. Pour enough steaming water between the cake pan and roasting pan to come about 2/3 up the side of the cake pan. Bake until the center is slightly wobbly when the pan is shaken, about 80 to 90 minutes.

Turn off heat, prop oven door ajar, and leave alone for 60 minutes.

Remove pan from water bath and cool on the counter until it’s room temperature. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Remove from the cake pan by warming the bottom, either over an open flame for a few seconds or in a water bath. Place parchment, plastic wrap or wax paper over top of the cake before inverting to remove the cake. Quickly turn over to place on a cake plate.

Serve chilled with freshly whipped cream or ice cream of choice.

To make the pie crust:

Combine flour through cinnamon in work bowl of mixer, run for 30 seconds to combine. 

Pulse in butter a little at a time until a crumbly meal is produced.

Pulse in cold water a tablespoon at a time.

Cut dough to size depending on size of the pie pan: use 1/2 for an 8-inch pan, 2/3 for a 10-inch pan. Reserve the remainder for another use or roll out in sugar and bake as decorative accents to place on the pie after baking.

Roll out the main dough on parchment paper into a disc 1 to 2 inches wider than the pie pan.

Grease the pan, sprinkle a little sugar on bottom of the pan and then invert the dough into it. Crimp and shape edge. Chill for 15 minutes.

Dock and line crust with parchment and baking beans to blind bake on 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Apply egg wash of egg and vanilla extract when panning the filling.

To make the pie filling:

Stir to combine all ingredients without incorporating air. If using a whisk, use a thick wire whisk and stir slowly. Apply vanilla and egg wash on crust with pastry brush, then add pie filling. Bake for 75 to 90 minutes at 350 degrees F, until center doesn’t jiggle and a skewer poked into center comes out clean. Cool at least 30 minutes prior to serving. Pair with ice cream of choice or freshly whipped cream.

To make an alcohol-free variation of this cake: Omit the rum and vanilla extract.

To make the pound cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (conventional) or 335 degrees F (convection). Set the rack in the middle of the oven. For Crunchy Feet, set racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions.

Set out the ingredients and equipment. Sift the flour directly into a bowl on a scale for accurate measuring. Measure the other dry ingredients into a separate mixing bowl, add the flour, and whisk for 10 seconds to blend. Set aside. Measure the liquid ingredients into a separate bowl, whisk to combine, and set aside. Measure the butter and sugar into separate bowls and set aside. Crack the eggs and yolks into two separate bowls and set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on the lowest speed for 3 minutes. This is a very dense cake so aerating well is important.

With the mixer still on the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time followed by the yolks, fully incorporating after each addition. Stop the mixture and scrape the sides of the bowl.

Add the dry ingredient mixture alternately with the liquid mixture in 3 to 5 additions each, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Move swiftly through this step to avoid overworking the batter. Don’t wait for the dry or liquid mixtures to be fully incorporated before adding the next. This step should take a total of about 60 seconds.

Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl all the way down. Don’t miss the clumps of ingredients hiding on the bottom of the bowl.  Mix on medium speed for 15 to 20 seconds to develop the batter’s structure.

Prepare the pans. For a Bundt cake, spray the pan well with a nonstick spray. For Crunchy Feet, place the brioche pans on sheet pans (16 per half-sheet pan is a snug fit) and spray them liberally with a nonstick spray.  For 9-inch-round cakes, line the bottom of each pan with parchment but do not spray the sides.

For a Bundt cake, fill the pan about three-quarters full by depositing the batter with the rubber spatula in small clumps around the prepared pan instead of by pouring it into one spot. Level the batter with the rubber spatula. Bake any leftover batter as Crunchy Feet or cupcakes. For Crunchy Feet, use a 2-ounce, trigger-release, ice cream scoop to deposit the batter into the prepared pans so they are three-quarters full. For 9-inch-round cakes, deposit the batter into three separate areas of the pan and smooth out with an offset spatula, making sure the pans are two-thirds full.

Follow these approximate bake times:

12-cup Bundt cake: 40-55 minutes at sea level; 65-70 minutes at high altitude.
Crunchy Feet: 15 minutes at sea level; 30 minutes at high altitude.
9-inch rounds: 30 minutes at sea level; 55 minutes at high altitude.

Once the top of the cake doesn’t jiggle in the center and the color is an even, deep orange, test for doneness by inserting a bamboo skewer into the middle of the cake. When the skewer shows just a touch of crumbs or comes out clean, the cake is done. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a heat-resistant surface or wire rack.

For the Bundt cake, once the cake has cooled for 5 to 10 minutes, remove it by inverting the pan onto a flat surface. Allow it to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before glazing.

For Crunchy Feet, carefully invert the brioche pans to release the cakes 3 to 4 minutes after removing them from the oven — well before they cool completely. You may have to tap each pan firmly — or even slam it — against the sheet pan to release the cake. Place on a heat-resistant surface or wire rack to cool. Immediately soak the pans to make cleaning easier.

For the layer cake, cool to room temperature, 25 to 30 minutes, before removing from the pan. Use a small offset spatula to loosen the cake from the rim of the pan. Carefully invert each pan onto a flat surface to remove the layers. Remove the parchment from the bottom of each cake and wrap the cake tightly in plastic. Assembling a layer cake is easier if the cake is cold, so refrigerate the layers overnight or for up to five days before frosting.

Serving and storing:

Serve at room temperature either naked or with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. 

Store under a cake dome at room temperature, or wrapped in plastic in the fridge for up to 1 week. If frosted, store under a cake dome for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week. To store unfrosted cake longer, label, date, and store the plastic-wrapped cake in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Starting with the butter, beat until smooth on a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater. Medium to high speed is OK.

Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Medium to high speed is OK.

Add sugar and vanilla. Medium to high speed is OK.

Add milk or cream and beta on medium speed until you reach the consistency you want. If it's too thin, add more sugar.