Yes, you could stop by the local pie shop or bakery and pick up a pumpkin pie to top off the big feast this Thursday.
Yes, you could bake a pumpkin pie at home.
Or, you could go rogue and do something entirely different this year — while keeping pumpkin in the picture.
Some years ago, we featured the following recipe in this blog. After Thanksgiving, we heard from numerous readers who had tried it and liked it a lot.
So, in the interest of spicing things up for newcomers to the blog, we offer this different take on a Thanksgiving Day dessert. The dessert pairs beautifully with a well-chilled Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine, and this recipe yields 12 tarts.
PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE TARTS
Ingredients
* 2/3 cup gingersnap cookies, crushed
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup 100% pure pumpkin
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 large eggs
* 2 tablespoons sour cream
* 2 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate morsels
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 12-muffin pan (or two 6-muffin pans) with paper cups.
2. Combine cookie crumbs and butter in small bowl. Press scant tablespoon onto bottom of each paper cup. Bake 5 minutes.
3. Beat cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until blended. Add eggs and beat well. Pour into muffin cups, filling 3/4 full.
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack. Remove tarts from pan and refrigerate. Garnish with sour cream.
5. Place morsels in small, heavy-duty plastic bag. Microwave on high for 20 seconds and then knead. Microwave at additional 10-second intervals, kneading until smooth.
6. Cut tiny corner from bag, and squeeze to drizzle chocolate over tarts.
