Happy Tuesday, loves.

Some wise words that made me smile:

“Nine times out of ten, you probably aren’t having a full-on nervous breakdown, you just need a cup of tea and a biscuit.” — Caitlin Morgan

So. true. Don’t you think? Occasionally our lives seem terrifyingly chaotic, as though we are spinning out of control. Do you ever feel that way too?

I can really relate to this notion, especially lately. I feel like every day this past week has been a sprint from a-b without the chance to breathe! I couldn’t agree more with the message above.

Sometimes all we need to unwind is a little solo time, and all of a sudden everything can seem centred again. A deep breath, a 5 minute walk to blow off steam, or… some freshly brewed tea and a biscuit like Caitlin suggests. :) Taking that time to stop and pause for a moment is so crucial, and can really help to put things in perspective as well. Life really isn’t all that bad after all, right? :)

As you know, I have been a little pumpkin-obsessed lately. And here we go again! I am so excited to share this recipe as the third instalment of my Blue Owl Treats October Pumpkin Fest. Yes it’s a thing. OK!?…haha.. Alright let’s be honest.. I just need a way to justify all this overreactive pumpkin behaviour I’ve been exhibiting lately with an official title..

As you know, I was lucky to have time to relax at the cabin over the Thanksgiving Long Weekend. After a hectic week, I felt like the cabin brought me back down to Earth again. Of course I found myself more often than not fussing about in the kitchen with my favourite past time– need I say more?– One of my creations from that therapeutic baking weekend was this recipe for you today– an exquisite pumpkin cheesecake. (exquisite, decadent, incredible, life changing… yes I will go on!!)

The cake was heavenly– in a creamy, gingery, autumnal kind of way. The butter-gingersnap crust enveloped a smooth, cheesy, spiced centre. Of course Thanksgiving called for a dramatic dessert, and nothing out there compared to this cheesecake’s spin on Thanksgiving’s most traditional dessert- the pumpkin pie. To top it off (literally..), the cake had a fluffy cloud of whipping cream, toasted pecans and candied ginger slices garnished like a tiara on its centre. Yes, this cheesecake is utter dessert perfection for one of the most momentous North American feasts of the year!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Yield: 1 10-inch cheesecake. Bake: 350F, 250F. Supplies: 10 inch springform pan.

Ingredients:

crust

2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (Anna's are excellent)
3 tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, melted and hot

cake

1 1/2 lb (680 g) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (120 mL) white sugar
1/2 cup (120 mL) brown sugar
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup pumpkin purée
5 eggs
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt

Topping

1 1/2 cups whipping cream
2 tbsp white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup candied ginger, cut into thin matchsticks
1/3 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

Directions

Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare your 10 inch cheesecake spring-form pan by greasing all sides. Crush gingersnap cookies on a cutting board with a rolling pin. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, adding the melted butter last. Mix until all ingredients are evenly combined, then press mixture firmly into your prepared cheesecake pan (You can use a small piece wax paper to help press down without getting messy hands.) Bake for 8 minutes, or until golden.

Cake Filling

1. With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugars and whipping cream until light and fluffy, about 8 minutes. Beat in the pumpkin, then beat in the eggs for 1 minute.

2. Mix the dry ingredients in a small bowl and sift together with a whisk. Add dry ingredients to the wets and mix together until only just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared crust pan.

3. Bake cake for 15 minutes at 350 F, then reduce temperature to 250 F and bake cake for 1 hour 10-20 minutes or until the centre is set and the top is no longer shiny. (Mine took longer than the recipe suggested, more like 1 hour 20 mins, but I have an oven that’s on the cooler side.) Turn oven off, and let cake cool in the oven.

4. Chill cake for 4 hours in the refrigerator, or overnight, covered in carefully wrapped saran (don’t let the saran touch the top!).

Garnish

1. Set cooled cake on serving platter. Beat whipping cream, sugar and vanilla in an electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form. Dollop whipping cream in a fluffy mound in the centre of your cake. Garnish with a scattering of pecans and your candied ginger slices. Show off with pride. :) You just made a masterpiece!

Recipe Credit: Wanda Beaver from Wanda’s Pie in the Sky.

I hope you have a wonderful week filled with fast transit from a-b, productive afternoons and perhaps a few biscuits and tea just to make you feel like you again.

P.S: What bizarre pea-soup fog we’ve been getting in Vancouver this past week! Are you a lover or a hater? (I’m a lover! I find it so wonderfully eerie.)

P.P.S: A funny picture: How to make a bad day, right.

Love,

Blue Owl