Thanksgiving is Coming: Part 2

I don't know what's more disconcerting, the fact that I managed to ruin cookies last night (still a mystery as to how, but I'll get to that later) or that I have no idea what the second part to my Monday post was supposed to be. I usually just go through my camera or recent photo uploads, but this time my methods failed me. So, here we are. As it is, my earlier failings of the night are still my primary focus. I can't believe how bad I failed at cookie making! As much as my, at times over-inflated, ego likes to think otherwise, I am by no means a perfect baker/cook. I've been baking (or attempting to bake) for the better part of the last 12 years. Looking back, I  have definitely come a long way, especially within the last year, which is why last night's episode was all the more alarming. 

Although my beloved Thanksgiving is still a week away, my first of several Thanksgiving celebrations begins today. You'll recall from my birthday festivities back in March that the only thing I love more than a holiday is stretching out the celebration of said holiday. Despite my love for Thanksgiving, I haven't gotten to celebrate it for more than a day since elementary school when we'd make "Indian"vests out of brown grocery sacks and have a pho-Thanksgiving dinner (the only item of which I actually remember the meal entailing was cornbread). So, you can imagine my elation when I discovered that I would have no less than four Thanksgiving celebrations this year [insert me screaming and jumping up and down here]. It's already getting hard for me to sleep as the excitement and anticipation over the events of the next week continues to build.  

Today's celebration is a work retreat turned Thanksgiving potluck. Not only is this little soiree during the work day, but it's being hosted at a co-worker's abode who lives around 5 minutes from me. Finally living in the District has its perks! In preparation for this glorious occasion, I eagerly signed up to bring one of several pumpkin recipes still awaiting my attention: pumpkin swirl cheesecake. I made my first cheesecake for Thanksgiving last year and since acquiring a cheesecake pan to call my own, I've only used it to make this veggie lasagna. Shame. The lasagna was delicious, but my spring form pan was born to make cheesecakes! The only thing I hate about making cakes and the like is that there are no samples for the baker (this would be the main reason I could not be a baker in real life...I would eat half of everything I make). To remedy this, I decided I would make use of all the pumpkin spice Hershey kisses I have lying around and whip up some fun pumpkin spice cookies as well. The intention was to have one while baking and take the rest to our pho-Thanksgiving this afternoon as a little aside to my main dessert dish. Oh the best laid plans...

Pumpkin spice kisses waiting to be put to use

I mixed up the dough according to the recipe, even sampling some along the way. It was the perfect fusion of pumpkin spices and sugar, and things seemed promising (despite the fact that I never get nearly as many cookies out of a recipe as promised). 

And then, about 7 minutes into baking, I looked in the oven and things had gone horribly a-rye. I tried to cook them through their time, but as you can see, the mass began running off the sides and dripping down into the oven, creating a heinous burning smell on top of everything else. In the end, I had to dispose of the giant mussy cookie mass and clean the oven before I could bake my cheesecake. I was not only unhappy, but also riddled with fear that I would mess up my cheesecake as well! 

 

With a deep breath, I began baking project number two of the night. As with most of my fall baking recipes, I found this gem on pinterest and was instantly in love with the idea of pumpkin infused cheesecake. I made a pumpkin cheesecake last Thanksgiving, but I felt like the fun swirl in this one gave it a little extra pizzazz for the big day. Since I hate transporting things with icing on them, but still wanted to do something impressive for our works-giving, this recipe won out. Unlike the cookies, it emerged from the oven in its correct state and I can only hope that it tastes as good as it looks!

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

Ingredients
Adapted from this version

Crust

• 2 cups gramham cracker crumble
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 2 Tbsp sugar

Filling

• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 Tbsps unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (3 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger)
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups pumpkin puree (canned or make your own like I did)
• 1 Tbsp milk

Preparation

1. Combine crust ingredients into a large bowl and mix until well coated with the melted butter

2. In a 9 inch spring form pan, spread the crust mix and pack evenly along the bottom and about 2/3 of the way up the sides. Place crust in freezer to chill while mixing filling

My sweet Shepherd dog came to offer moral support for my second attempt at baking this evening. She usually serves as my baking assistant, but was asleep on the couch during the cookie massacre so we couldn't risk the cheesecake meeting the same fate

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

4. In a large bowl, combine white sugar, brown sugar, flour, and cream cheese. Beat on low speed until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup of this mixture to swirl in later

5. To the mixture in the bowl, add vanilla and pumpkin spice. Blend in eggs and pumpkin puree. Scrape bowl, and beat until smooth. Pour into crust.

6. Stir milk into the reserved cream cheese mixture. Drop by spoonfuls over the pumpkin mixture. Use a knife to decoratively swirl the two mixtures together [I didn't find the swirls to show much as much as I would've liked, but that could be due to my own baking issues last night]

Ready to bake. Deep breath...

Alas, victory was mine. I'm back! Now to hope that it tastes as good as it looks!

*Update: My pumpkin swirl cheesecake was a huge it at our office retreat/Thanksgiving celebration today. I'm not sure what I was happier about, getting to spend a day out of the office and dining on Thanksgiving food, or the fact that baking praise was bestowed upon me for my work. I can only hope the rest of my Thanksgiving creations go this well!