October is a busy baking month for me. Thanksgiving, my daughter’s birthday, bake sale, Halloween…. all of them are happening this month. I am not complaining, in fact, I am enjoying it . Apples, pumpkins, corn, the spices, the Halloween decorations ….the aroma, the colours, the fun, I love them all ! For this Thanksgiving, I made a pumpkin cheesecake topped with maple caramel sauce. It is crunchy, creamy, sweet and a little spicy…..just delicious ! And it’s fairly easy to make ! It’s a great alternative to pumpkin pie.

Makes one 6-inch cake

For the crust

• 120 g ginger snaps
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the fillings

• 250 g soft cream cheese
• 120 g granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 120 g pumpkin puree (homemade or canned)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the maple caramel

• 120 ml maple syrup
• 15 g unsalted butter
• 60 mL heavy or whipping cream

To prepare the crust

1. Crush ginger cookies into fine crumbs
2. Mix crumbs with melted butter, press firmly into bottom of a spring-form pan or a cake ring (if you use a cake ring like I did, you have to wrap the bottom with parchment paper as it is bottomless)
3. Bake for about 10 minutes, let cool

To prepare the cheesecake

1. When crust is cooled, wrap bottom of cake pan with 2 layers of aluminium foil and place on a rimmed baking tray
2. Turn oven down to 325ºF
3. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth
4. Add flour, spices, salt,pumpkin puree and vanilla
5. Add eggs, one at a time, mix until just blended, do not overmix
6. Pour batter on top of crust and place the baking tray into the oven
7. Pour about one inch of hot water into baking tray and bake for about 40-45 minutes (the top should be a little jiggly, do not overbake)
8. Turn oven off, leave cheesecake inside oven with door ajar for another hour to cool gradually
9. Take cake out, let cool at room temperature completely, then refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours

To prepare maple caramel

1. Melt butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat
2. Add maple syrup, when boil, turn heat down and simmer for about 3 minutes until thicken
3. Add cream, stirring occasionally and continue to simmer until thick

When cheesecake is set, serve with maple caramel and whipped cream