Halloween Cheesecake
Recipe courtesy of the Food Network, https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/halloween-cheesecake-5331779
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the pan
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 10-ounce bag bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 ¼-ounce packet unflavored powdered gelatin
- 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin purée
- 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine salt
- ½ cup store-bought vanilla frosting
- Green gel food coloring
- 1 ounce square semisweet chocolate
Instructions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- For the brownie: Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a 10x15 inch baking dish (4 ½ quart) with foil leaving a 2-inch overhang on at least two of the sides. Coat the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Wash hand with soap and water after handling raw flour.
- Melt the butter and semisweet chocolate in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sugar and then the eggs. Add the flour mixture in two batches and stir to combine.
- Wash hands with soap and water, and wash all tools used in previous steps with soap and warm water.
- Don’t eat raw dough or batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the internal temperature of the brownie has reached 160° F on a food thermometer before removing the pan from the oven. Insert a toothpick into the center until it comes out with just a few crumbs, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Sprinkle the bittersweet chocolate chips evenly over the top of the brownie. Let sit for 5 minutes to melt slightly. Use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate over the brownie. Let them cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack, about 1 hour. Refrigerate until the chocolate is completely set, about 30 minutes. Use the foil overhand to help lift the brownie out of the pan.
- Lightly coat a 16-inch long piece of parchment with nonstick cooking spray and place the brownie on top, chocolate coating-side down (this helps to prevent the chocolate from cracking while cutting it).
- On one half of the brownie, trace the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a paring knife that has been cleaned with soap and water, and cut out the circle. Fit the brownie circle, chocolate coating-side up, into the bottom of the springform pan and lock the side.
- For the Jack-o'-Lantern eyes: From the remaining brownie half, use the paring knife to cut out two 2 ½ inch equilateral triangles for the eyes.
- For the Jack-o'-Lantern nose: Cut one 2-inch equilateral triangle for the nose.
- For the Jack-o'-Lantern mouth: Cut a 5-inch-wide half-moon. Cut out a bottom and top tooth that are slightly offset. (If the chocolate cracks at all, use a hot, dry offset spatula to re-melt and smooth the chocolate). Now set the pieces aside.
- Make the cheesecake: Combine gelatin with ¼ cup water in a small microwave-safe bowl and set aside to soften, about 5 minutes. Combine the cream cheese, pumpkin purée, confectioners’ sugar, sour cream, vanilla and salt in a food processor and process until smooth.
- Microwave the gelatin until melted, stirring as needed, about 30 seconds. Add the gelatin to the cream cheese mixture and process to combine, about 30 seconds. Pour the batter into the springform pan, on top of the brownie bottom.
- Press the brownie eyes, nose and mouth into the batter until they are even with the top of the batter, taking care not to get any batter on top. Chill in the refrigerator until completely set, from 4 hours up to overnight.
- Before frosting the cheesecake, wash your hands with soap and water.
- For the pumpkin vine and stem, mix the frosting with green food coloring in a small bowl until it is the color of a pumpkin vine (1 to 2 drops). Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip and pipe a curly vine along the top edge of the Jack-o’-Lantern. Push the chocolate square into the top side of the cheesecake about ¼-inch from the top to make the stem.
Notes
Special equipment: a 10-by-15-inch baking dish (4 1/2 quart), a 9-inch springform pan, a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip
When measuring flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.