Tom Waits for Pumpkin Cheesecake

Tom Waits for no one. Winter Swamp Solstice was a small batch edition this year—and, from my toast, “Can’t turn back the tide of 2020, with its hurricanes, plagues, and tidal waves of disruption and loss- nope, we can’t turn back the tide, but tonight, let ‘s look up and look for that one star shining and head toward it.” That Grapefruit Moon. Tom Waits’ foggy lamp post alley jazz and his angry sloppy drunk ballads seemed like the perfect serenade for our contemplative ride through the streets. This has been a year of Waits—so much Waiting.

This first week of vaccinations has been emotional—one star shining indeed. Still, we wait, but with fresh hope. And maybe a slice of cheesecake. Or seven.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Adapted from Eating Well

8 ounces gingersnap cookies (I did a mix of pure gingersnaps and pumpkin ginger cookies)

¼ teaspoon salt, divided

3 tablespoons melted butter

3 (8 ounce) packages reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 (15 ounce) can unseasoned pumpkin puree (or use your own yard pumpkins—though I did boil down the puree because real pumpkins are pretty hydrated when roasted fresh…)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Before I start on telling you how to do this, I have to just say how proud I am about the pumpkins. They grew spontaneously from my compost, wild June pumpkins that climbed up my garden trellis, and like a present from the heavens, one day I came out and found a little pumpkin perched over my head in the cattle panel arch. Another, a week later, from the bath tub compost. So proud! We baked and pureed the pulp into the filling for this delicious cheesecake.

I’ve adapted this recipe because, to my chagrin at realizing AFTER starting the crust part of the recipe that I did not have a 9-inch springform pan like I thought I did, but alas, a 6-inch springform and four 4.5-inch mini pie pans. If this is you too, do not worry, the only thing I had to adjust was the baking time. This recipe makes plenty for one 6-inch and four 4.5-inch pans… you’re welcome.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Tightly wrap the outside of the pan with a large piece of foil, covering the bottom and sides. Put a kettle of water on to boil.

Pulse cookies and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a food processor until finely ground. Drizzle in butter and process, scraping down the sides as needed, until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of the prepared pan(s). Put the crust in the freezer. Clean the food processor.

Combine cream cheese, sugar, eggs and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt in the food processor. Process, scraping down the sides as needed, until completely smooth. Remove 1/4 cup of the batter to a small bowl. Add pumpkin, vanilla and pie spice to the food processor and process until smooth.

Pour the pumpkin batter into the chilled crust. Drizzle the reserved batter over the top and run a skewer or knife through the two batters to swirl together.

Place the springform pan(s) in a roasting pan. Pour in enough of the boiling water to come 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan. Carefully transfer the roasting pan to the oven. Bake the cheesecake until set around the edges but the center still jiggles slightly. For the little ones, the 4.5 inchers, it took about 35 minutes, and for the 6 inch springform, it was about an hour. The recipe says for the 9 inch it should be about 1.5 hours, but, you know how ovens are, so post up in the kitchen with a book and check like a good baker should.

Transfer the roasting pan to a wire rack. Let the cheesecake cool in the water bath until the water is room temperature, about 1 hour.

Remove the pan from the water bath. Remove the foil. Refrigerate the cheesecake until very cold, at least 3 hours.

I know you are looking for last minute holiday gifts, we all are! Consider these:

This chocolate from Delysia Chocolatier is not only delicious but artful and classy! These stocking stuffers taste of eggnog and nutmeg and rich cacao.

And how about this purse? From Porto Vino, I got to test this Paris Wine Purse—a lovely and stylish bag with a blind pouch for your favorite beverage, whether that’s eggnog or wine or hot cocoa—picnic with this!

The pocket is the spout. Making spirits bright indeed.

Hyperlinked products were gifted.