Growing up, Pumpkin Pie was not part of my family’s Thanksgiving lunches. Traditionally, it was my homemade Apple Pie or my sister’s rich Cherry Cheesecake. I wasn’t introduced to Pumpkin Pie until my late twenties/early thirties, and before then, I wasn’t overly thrilled with the idea of a strong creamy filling without the flaky pie crusts I adored in other pies.
Once I tasted it, of course, I was instantly converted. I had always imagined pumpkin filling to be strong and overpowering, but in fact it is quite subtle and complements the added spices beautifully. I find it simply amazing how the rich scent of cinnamon and nutmeg instantly surround you like a warm comfortable blanket. After perfecting the Pumpkin Pie, I attempted a Pumpkin Cheesecake with great success. Again, the pumpkin flavour was delightfully subtle and the small amounts of cinnamon and nutmeg add a spicy kick to the traditionally rich taste of baked cream cheese.
With this recipe, I took both the richness and the texture of the cheesecake to a whole new level. The pumpkin cheesecake is marbled with dark chocolate cheesecake batter, baked into a chocolate cookie crumb crust and topped with melted dark chocolate and sweet milk chocolate clodhoppers. The marbled chocolate adds a level of sweetness (and a lovely colour) to the cheesecake, while the clodhoppers add a powerfully sweet crunch. In one delectable bite you can taste the buttery crumble of the chocolate cookie crust, the pumpkin spiced and dark chocolate cheesecakes, the melted dark chocolate layer and the sugary crunch of the milk chocolate clodhoppers. (I'm salivating just describing it!)
Marbled Pumpkin-Chocolate Cheesecake topped with Clodhoppers
Serves 8 (generously) or 12 (not so generously)
Items you’ll need:
- 1 1/2 cups of chocolate cookie crumbs
- 1/3 cup of butter
- 2 x 8 oz packages of cream cheese
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup of pumpkin (pure)
- 1 tsp of cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp of nutmeg
- 4 oz of dark or semi-sweet chocolate
- 1 cup of milk chocolate clodhoppers
What you’ll need to do:
1. In a medium bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs and the butter (sliced into pieces). You can mix together with the aid of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, but personally I prefer to mix this by hand. When well blended, press the mixture into the bottom (and about 1 inch up the side) of a 9 inch springform cake pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, and then set aside to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend the cream cheese, 1/2 cup of sugar and the vanilla until smooth. Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time, making sure to blend well after each one.
3. Remove 1 cup of the cream cheese mixture and set aside. Add the remaining sugar, the pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg to the remaining cream cheese mixture and blend until smooth. (You may have to mix on high for 4-5 minutes to ensure all the little cream cheese pieces have been well blended).
4. As the pumpkin batter is mixing, melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over boiling water. Once it has melted, remove from heat and set aside. Add half of the melted chocolate to the 1 cup of cream cheese mixture that had been earlier set aside. Blend until the batter is smooth and consistent in colour.
5. Pour the pumpkin cream cheese mixture over the crust and smooth evenly. Add the chocolate cream cheese mixture to the pumpkin cream cheese mixture by the heaping tablespoons, so that it is spotted. Using a knife (and being sure not to touch the bottom of the pan), swirl the mixture to create the desired marbled effect.
6. Bake the cake for 50-55 minutes, or until the center of the filling is set. Let the cake stand for 5-10 minutes after it has been removed from the oven, then run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan. Allow the cake to cool for another 15 minutes before removing the springform rim.
7. Spread the remaining melted chocolate over the top of the cheesecake and cover with clodhopper pieces before chilling for at least 4 hours.
This decadent cheese cake is best served cold, accompanied by a steaming hot cup of coffee or tea.
Variation: If you’d like to create a “spooky” effect for a Halloween-themed cheese cake, substitute half of the dark chocolate with white chocolate and add 5-10 drops of red food colouring. Mix the “blood” red chocolate with the clodhoppers before topping the cake and it will look like bloody brain pieces!
Buon Apetito!
Debora Marino - Debora is a freelance writer (and aspiring novelist) whose passions include travel, delicious cuisine, fine wine and the written word.
