Week 36, October 6, 2014 ~ Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes

These have quite possibly ruined pumpkin pie for me, and everyone knows I love pumpkin pie. These are just so much better. I usually only eat 1 or 2 of the cupcakes I make but I am pretty sure I ate about 6 this week. They are like blending pumpkin pie together with whipped cream with just a little bit of tang. The crust is a pecan gingersnap crust and they are topped with a vanilla mascarpone whipped cream. 

This recipe makes 24 cupcakes:

For the crust:

• 16 gingersnap cookies
• 2 graham cracker rectangle
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 3 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 Tablespoons melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line cupcake tin or spray with nonstick spray.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, grind all ingredients for crust, except for melted butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add melted butter and process until mixture resemble wet sand. 3.Press mixture by the tablespoon into each cup. Bake for 10 minutes.

For Cheesecake:

• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 3 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened well
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger until no clumps of sugar remain. 

2. Add cream cheese to mixer, then pour sugar mixture over cream cheese and blend together until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time. Blend in pumpkin and vanilla, then mix in heavy cream. Tap bowl forcefully against countertop to release some of the excess air bubbles.

3. Divide mixture over crust in muffin liners, filling nearly full. Bake in preheated oven until nearly set, about 20 - 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack at room temperature, 30 minutes. Then transfer to refrigerator and chill 3 hours until set. 

For the Vanilla Bean Mascarpone:

• 8 oz Mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1/2 cup of sugar

1. in a bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the mascarpone cheese, heavy whipping cream and vanilla bean. Gradually increase the speed over a few seconds till on medium-high.  Slowly pour in the sugar. Beat on medium-high until soft peaks form--this should not take more than a minute or 2...gradually lower the speed until you turn off the mixer.
2. Frost cupcakes