Toffee Pumpkin Cheesecake

One of my friends blogged this recipe awhile ago, and I printed it and put it in my “To-Try” recipe file…then I forgot it! I was beyond giddy when she reminded me of it when we were swapping recipe ideas on Facebook last month.  Yay! If you read this blog regularly, you know I’m a pushover for pumpkin. But on to the recipe.

I modified it a bit, making it lower in fat and not quite so sweet…although the original was delicious, don’t get me wrong.  I’m trying not to gain any more weight than I must as the “fluffing-up” season arrives!  I hope you’ll forgive me, Sarah, for adding more pumpkin and fat-free half-and-half instead of cream.  I also switched the topping from sour cream to honey Greek yogurt.

Last, but certainly not least, I am LOVING the Stonewall Kitchen’s Pumpkin Caramel Sauce that I found at Kohl’s this fall.  See, I don’t only shop at Target. Although Kohls is just across the parking lot from Target.

If you’ve never made a cheesecake, don’t be intimidated.  They’re really quite foolproof, as long as you don’t overcook them.  Be sure to remove them from the oven while the middle is still a tiny bit jiggly.  It’s also a good idea to wrap your springform pan in foil before baking it…the butter in the crust has a tendency to drip out onto your oven and set off the smoke alarms while your children are trying to sleep and you’re baking at midnight. Or so I’ve heard.

Also, let me throw a plug in here for actually purchasing a springform pan, if you don’t have one.  I have a 9” one and two 5” ones, and use all of them frequently. They’re great for sweet or savory cheesecakes, but also for fruit pizza, layered cheese tortes for appetizers, and many other things.  The sides unlock and slide off, so you’re left with your creation sitting on the bottom, and you can serve from that. Just buy one…you’ll make fancy-looking stuff and impress people!

Toffee Pumpkin Cheesecake

(adapted from Food.com)

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 3/4 cups toffee shortbread cookies, crushed
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Cheesecake

• 3 (8 ounce) packages light cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 2/3 cup fat-free half-and-half ( or 5 ounce can evaporated milk)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup crushed toffee pieces
• 1 cup honey Greek yogurt, room temperature
• Pumpkin Caramel Sauce (or your favorite caramel sauce)

Directions

1. Crust: Preheat the oven to 350*F. In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and butter. Press onto bottom and 1″ up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 6-8 minutes. Do not let brown. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, while you make the cheesecake.
2. Cheesecake:.In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and brown sugar until it’s creamy. Add the pumpkin, milk, eggs, cornstarch and pumpkin pie spice. Stir well and pour into the crust.
3. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until the edge is set and the center jiggles just a little. Remove it from the oven.
4. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate for several hours or up to overnight.
5. Spread Greek yogurt on top. Remove the outside of springform pan. Sprinkle toffee pieces on top and drizzle with caramel sauce before you serve.

Click here for a printable version