Disclosure: I received sample of products from ™ Biscoff at #AWBU. However, I was not asked to review those products. All opinions are my own.
Why did they do it? It was okay when I would get a package of two little cookies while flying. That…I could handle. I mean gobble those babies up as quickly as you can, then they’re gone. Now they’ve gone and done it. I’ve met my downfall. It’s doomsday to the waistline.
™Biscoff now markets full packages of those tasty little marvels PLUS – and this is my addiction – you can now find that taste in a spread. Smooth and crunchy – oh my! If you can find it on the grocery shelves in our town, consider yourself lucky. It doesn’t stay on the shelves any length of time at all. For me that’s probably a good thing since I’ve been known to eat spoonfuls of it straight from the jar. In an effort to avoid doing that, I’ve been experimenting with ways to cook with it instead.
Which brings me to this cheesecake. I’ve made lots of cheesecakes. Plain. Peanut Butter. Chocolate. Pumpkin. Made them all. So…I set about to work the spread into one of those. Since I had just bought the ingredients for a pumpkin cheesecake earlier in the week, that became my vehicle for the ™Biscoff spread.
And a winner it was! Cookies and spread all in one cheesecake. What’s not to like?
Spiced Pumpkin ™Biscoff Cheesecake
Crust:
1 package ™Biscoff cookies (or 9 –10 whole graham crackers)
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the sides and bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan with nonstick spray.
Place the cookies, sugar and spice in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Drizzle in the melted butter and pulse in short bursts until the butter is incorporated.
Wrap the bottom half of the spring form pan with aluminum foil.
Press the crust mixture evenly in the bottom of the spring form pan and bake for approximately 15 minutes until just brown at the edges.
Set on a wire rack to cool completely before filling.
Filling:
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree, prepared as in these pumpkin cheesecake bars (do not skip this step)
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup ™Biscoff creamy spread
3 8-ounces cream cheese, softened
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
5 large eggs at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Stir in the fresh ginger until well mixed. Set aside.
Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer at medium speed, scraping the sides and beaters several times. Add the sugar mixture in three portions blending well after each addition. Add the prepared pumpkin, ™Biscoff spread, vanilla and lemon juice and beat well at medium speed until combined. Scrape the bowl and beaters.
Add the two of the eggs and beat until well mixed; add the remaining eggs and incorporate well, scraping the mixer bowl often. Add in the cream and beat at low speed until combined. Scrape the sides again.
Pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth the surface.
Set the pan in a large pan and add enough very hot water so that the water comes up half-way on the spring form pan. Bake until the center of the cake is slightly wiggly when shaken and registers 150 degrees on an instant read thermometer, about 1 1/2 hours.
Set the water bath pan on a wire rack to cool for approximately 40-45 minutes. Remove the spring form pan from the water bath and remove the foil. Set the pan on the wire rack. Run a knife around the edge of the cake just enough to slightly loosen it. Cool to room temperature.
Topping:
1 1/2 cups thick sour cream (drain in a coffee filter while the cheesecake is cooking and cooling)
1 Tablespoons ™Biscoff spread
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Mix the topping ingredients well and spread on the cheesecake. Bake for 5-7 minutes to set the topping. Let the cheese cake cool completely before refrigerating.
Wrap the cheesecake in plastic wrap then in aluminum foil. Refrigerate for 6 – 12 hours before serving.
To unmold the cheesecake, remove the sides of the spring form pan. Slide a thin spatula between the crust and the bottom on the pan to loosen, then slide the cake onto a serving plate. Let the cake stand for approximately 30 minutes at room temperature then cut into wedges.
When cutting, dip the blade of a sharp chef’s knife into warm warm between each cut. Wipe the blade clean each time.
Garnish with whipped cream and a drizzle of prepared caramel sauce if desired.
Adapted from: Cook’s Illustrated, Joy of Cooking and Gourmet
