Salted Caramel Sauce For Heathersark Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipes

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Use a food processor to crush the cookies into fine crumbs. Measure out 2 cups of crumbs and pour them into a mixing bowl. Add ¼ cup sugar and melted butter and stir to combine.
• Cover the outside bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with foil, securing the foil partway up the outer sides of the pan.
• Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
• Bake the crust for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside while you make the cheesecake filling.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the room temperature cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, and vanilla. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Add the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg and mix until smooth, but don't over mix. Pour the filling into the prepared pan.
• Grab a pan that's larger than the cheesecake pan and fill it with about ½ inch of water, to make a water bath.
• Place the cheesecake pan inside the dish with the water.
• Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the sides of the cheesecake have just set and the center is just barely jiggly.
• Remove it from the oven (it will continue to bake as it cools). Remove the tinfoil and allow the cheesecake to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
• Once cooled, cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours, or overnight.
• When the cheesecake has chilled in the fridge, remove the pan sides (I like to gently run a dull butter knife along the inner edge of the pan before I release the springform pan sides).
• Serve with caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought) and whipped cream on top, if desired.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE (WITH SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE)

Steps:

• To prepare crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix together crushed graham crackers and light-brown sugar (being sure to break up any clumps of the brown sugar).
• Pour in melted butter and mix until mixture is evenly coated. Firmly press mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan coming within about 1-inch of the top edge.
• Bake in preheated oven for 8-9 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool while preparing filling. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

PUMPKIN GINGERSNAP CHEESECAKE WITH SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• For the pumpkin gingersnap cheesecake: In a food processor or blender, grind the gingersnaps until fine. Pour into a bowl and stir in the pecans, melted butter, brown sugar and salt. Press into the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the filling, beat the cream cheese in a stand mixer until soft, scraping the sides once. Mix in the pumpkin, scraping the sides once or twice. Add the eggs 1 at a time, allowing them to mix in, then add the sour cream and mix. With the mixer on low, add the granulated sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg. Thoroughly scrape the bowl and mix to ensure everything is smooth and mixed in.
• Pour the filling into the pan, smoothing the top. Set the pan on a baking sheet and bake until the filling is no longer soupy but still slightly jiggly, about 50 minutes. Turn off the oven, open the door just a hair and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 15 more minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes, then cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• For the salted caramel sauce: Mix the brown sugar, heavy cream, butter, vanilla and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-low to medium heat. Cook, while whisking gently, until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate until needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Slice the cheesecake and top with the salted caramel sauce, whipped cream and chopped pecans.

SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Place sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium-high heat. Stir continuously until sugar begins to melt. Continue stirring until the sugar melts completely, begins to darken and all the chunks are dissolved, about 10 minutes. Stop stirring and continue to cook until the sugar begins to smoke and turns a dark shade of amber, 3 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and wait 30 seconds.
• Whisk in butter until melted and combined. Slowly pour in 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cream, taking care because it can bubble over. Sprinkle in salt and stir to combine. Transfer sauce to a jar and cool completely before refrigerating.