Autumn Cheesecake

Still thinking about what to make for your Thanksgiving dessert?  Perhaps you might like to mix things up and make Butternut Chocolate Cake w/Espresso Salted Caramel Sauce?  Or maybe you'd rather go the apple route with an Apple Pie w/Rosemary Crust & Gruyere Crumble or Apple Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie.

My secret ingredient

Clearly I love all things fall...  and dessert!   I teased you with photos in my product reviews, but I think it's time to share this cheesecake.   Except I don't want to share...  you'll have to make your own :)

Go Giants!!

In all seriousness this would be perfect for the upcoming holiday.   And I loved it.   It's packed full of good stuff...  sweet potatoes, maple syrup, cranberries and even greek yogurt.

Don't worry, I didn't eat it all myself.   Although I already bought more ginger cats.  Maybe I can try it with butternut squash...

Autumn Cheesecake
heavily adapted from bon appetit

Serves 10-12

1 1/2c ginger snap crumbs (I used Trader Joe’s Ginger Cats)

2T butter, melted

3T unsweetened applesauce

2 8oz pkgs Nufatchel (1/3^rd less fat cream cheese), RT

1c sucanat (or brown sugar)

4 eggs, RT

1 16oz container 2% greek yogurt, RT

1c roasted sweet potato puree

1/4c Grade B maple syrup

1/2t maple extract

1 1/2t cinnamon

1/2t freshly grated nutmeg

1/2t ground ginger

1 12oz pkg fresh cranberries

1/2c sucanat (or brown sugar), plus more to taste

1/2c dried cranberries

1/2c Grade B maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350deg. 

Mix together cookie crumbs, butter and applesauce.  Press into the bottom of a springform pan.  Bake for 10min, then cool completely on a wire rack.

Beat cream cheese in a large bowl (or stand mixer) until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until well blended.  Add eggs, one at a time, until combined.  Add remaining filling ingredients (greek yogurt through ginger) and mix well.

Pour filling into cooled crust  and bake 55-65min (check at 50min), until the center jiggles only slightly when tapped.  Take out of the oven and set on a wire rack.  Run a knife or spatula around the outside (this helps prevent cracks!).  Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until set.

For the cranberry compote, combine cranberries, sugar, dried cranberries and maple syrup in a medium saucepan.  Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and simmer until berries pop.  Can be made ahead (cover and chill), rewarm before serving.

What dessert will be on your Thanksgiving table?