Pumpkin Mousse Cheesecake

So, my birthday was last week, and I was having trouble thinking of a dessert to make for a girls-night-in party I was having. I was contemplating cupcakes, but none of the varieties I could think of felt right. They sounded good, sure, just not right.

The start of something fabulous.

And then my mom (HIYA, MA!) sent me a recipe. A cheesecake recipe. A pumpkin mousse cheesecake recipe. I was instantly sold, which is no surprise to anyone, as I'm a fall girl at heart.

Gingersnap crust > graham cracker crust!

Cheesecake used to be my favorite dessert, and while I'm not sure I can still say the same, I still do adore it. I had never made it before, and this was mostly very successful. The only issue I had was the cheesecake cracking while it cooled -- but my roommate fixed that problem right up by suggesting that I slice the cake into pieces before the guests arrived, as the crack was pretty much right down the center. Genius, right?

Pre-giant-crack -- so pretty!

This was amazingly delicious. Like decadent slices of autumn! It was a big hit at my party, and here's the best part: I used reduced-fat cream cheese and reduced-fat sour cream, and no one was the wiser. It tasted and felt exactly the same as regular cheesecake! I feel like I pulled a fast one on all my girlfriends, but in the best possible way.

...SUCKERS!

Pumpkin Mousse Cheesecake
via the Zabar's blog

Crust
3 cups gingersnaps
½ cup sugar
¼ cup melted sweet butter

Filling
2 8-oz. packages of Philadelphia cream cheese, softened (regular or low-fat)
½ cup sugar
¾ cup sour cream (regular or low-fat)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 15- or 16-oz. can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon allspice
⅛ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a springform pan -- spray with cooking spray, then line the bottom with a disc of parchment paper, then spray with cooking spray again.

Step 2: Place gingersnaps and sugar in a food processor, and pulse until finely ground. Add melted butter, and pulse until combined.

Step 3: Place gingersnap crust mixture into springform pan, and use your fingers to press the mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan to form a crust. Bake for 10 minutes, then allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 4: Wipe any gingersnap crumbs out of the food processor with a paper towel, then place cream cheese in the food processor and blend until smooth.

Step 5: Add sugar, sour cream, vanilla, pumpkin, and spices; blend until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next one.

Step 6: Pour the mousse mixture into the cooled crust. Bake for 1 hour and ten minutes in a water bath. *This recipe works best when cooked in a water bath because the moisture will allow for even cooking and it will help prevent cracking [blogger's note: um... except... mine still cracked, so don't expect perfection]. Place boiling water in a roasting pan – enough to come to half the height of the springform pan. There should be enough room for the springform pan to fit in the water bath without touching the sides of the roasting pan.

Step 7: Remove from water bath and allow to fully cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate overnight, then open the springform pan, and serve!