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A Doable Holiday Dessert From Millwright’s: Whipped Pumpkin Cheesecake With Salted Pecan Toffee

Millwright's Whipped Pumpkin Cheesecake is a fun spin on a classic holiday dessert.
Suzie Hunter | smhunter@courant.com
Millwright’s Whipped Pumpkin Cheesecake is a fun spin on a classic holiday dessert.
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If dessert is your favorite part of the holiday meal, you’re in luck.

Five Connecticut restaurants and bakeries have shared recipes with us for festive confections, perfect for your holiday table this season. These creations may look fancy and elaborate, but the bakers and pastry chefs assure us you can achieve the same results in your home kitchen. We’ve also provided vegan and gluten-free options – a little indulgence for everyone. More recipes here.

Kristin Eddy, the pastry chef at Millwright’s in Simsbury, shares this recipe for whipped pumpkin cheesecake with cinnamon graham cracker crumb and a pecan toffee garnish.

“It’s a fun spin on the traditional cheesecake that we all know, and it’s super simple,” she says.

Once the cheesecake is beaten to a soft, fluffy consistency, it’s easy to pipe it into the vessel of your choice, like a parfait glass. Add freshly whipped cream to complete the presentation.

Millwright's Whipped Pumpkin Cheesecake is a fun spin on a classic holiday dessert.
Millwright’s Whipped Pumpkin Cheesecake is a fun spin on a classic holiday dessert.

Whipped Pumpkin Cheesecake

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

3 tsp cornstarch

1-1/2 cups pumpkin puree

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground clove

1/4 cup sour cream

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Cream together the softened cream cheese and sugar with a mixer until completely smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each egg. Add the pumpkin, cornstarch, sour cream and spices. Scrape down the bowl and continue to mix until smooth.

Transfer the pumpkin cheesecake mixture into a well-greased 10 inch cake pan. Place the cake pan onto a jelly roll pan, place it in the oven, and then fill the bottom of the jelly roll pan with water to create a water bath. This will help the cheesecake bake evenly. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, and refrigerate the cheesecake overnight.

Scrape the chilled cheesecake out of the cake pan and into the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Mix for 1 to 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Transfer the cheesecake into a piping bag, then pipe into desired shape or glasses.

Salted Pecan Toffee

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp water

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup dark chocolate, melted

In a medium-sized pot, combine the sugar, water, and butter. Cook on medium to high heat, stirring often to make sure the bottom of the pot does not burn. Continue cooking until bubbly and golden brown. Once the mixture reaches the desired color, remove from the heat and pour it out onto a nonstick sheet, covered with parchment or a silicone/rubber baking mat. (Toffee mixture will be very hot; be careful to avoid burns.)

Let the toffee cool completely, then spread the melted chocolate over the toffee, and sprinkle with chopped pecans and kosher salt. Place it in the fridge to cool and set up; the toffee can then be broken into small pieces as garnish.

Cinnamon Graham Cracker Crumb

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp melted butter

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Pour melted butter over dry ingredients and stir together well, then use on the dessert as a garnish element.

Homemade Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream

2 tbsp powdered sugar

Whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar in a mixer until the cream is firm enough to hold shape (medium to stiff peak.) Be careful not to over whip, or texture will be grainy and will resemble butter.

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