HELLOOOO AGAIN! :D I've got two great treats up,

Blueberry cheesecake with hazelnut crust

Pumpkin cheesecake with Marshmallow Sour Cream topping

I made both of them last week together (scroll down for more pictures). Lovely yeah? I've been really crazy over cheesecake ever since I baked my first one. I like how dense and neat they are! The blueberry cheesecake ones were great, but I reckon I'd put lesser almond extract next time because the almond taste is really empowering. I wonder if it has got to do with the brand I use..? 

I served this with some sliced apricot (bought from Fremantle market in Perth previously :D ) I got the pumpkin puree from Jason's Marketplace. Not sure if you can get the same brand from FairPrice or Cold Storage though. By the way, I did not use the Gingersnap cookies as the cheesecake base. I really cannot find them anywhere!!! Not even in Perth =\ I used Pumpkin oat cracker instead. Haha. (but I still believe Gingersnap cookies would be a better choice!)

Blueberry Cheesecake

Recipe from Domestic Goddess

For the crust:
1 1/4 (6.5 oz) cups all purpose flour
1/3 (3 oz) cup sugar
3/4 (3 oz) cup toasted, skinned, and finely chopped hazelnuts
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 (4 oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into 3/4- inch pieces

For the filling:
1 pound of cream cheese, at room temp
3/4 (6 oz) cup sugar
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
3 large eggs, at room temp
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) blueberries

Position a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat to 325 degrees. Butter a 9x9 square baking pan.

In a food processor: to make the crust, combine the flour, sugar, hazelnuts, and salt and pulse 2-3 times to mix. Add the butter and pulse 8-10 times until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of small peas. Press crust mixture into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake crust until golden and the top looks dry and firm, 15-20 minutes. set aside.

To make the filling, in a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and sugar and beat together until blended and smooth. Stir in flour until blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until the batter is smooth. Stir in the cream and vanilla and almond extracts and stir until incorporated. Gently fold in the blueberries.

Pour the batter into the prepared crust. Bake until the center is set when you give the pan a gentle shake, 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and using a small knife, loosten the warm cheesecake square form the sides of the pan.

Let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or over night.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Recipe from An Edible Symphony

 Crust:
1 1/2 cups gingersnaps
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup melted butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
Pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Put the gingersnaps in the food processor first and blend till you get a coarse crumb mixture.
3. Then add the chopped pecans and pulse a few times.
4. Combine all the crust ingredients and mix thoroughly.
5. Use a 9 or 10 inch springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Form the crust by pressing the crumbly mixture firmly to the bottom of the pan and an inch up the sides. Bake this in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Take it out and let it cool.

Filling:
2 8-oz packages of plain cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
2 tbsp milk/cream
1 cup raspberries (garnish)

1. Mix all of the above filling ingredients in a blender, making sure it ends up with a super-smooth consistency.
2. Pour this into the cooled crust and place in the oven for 55 mins.
3. Remove when done and let it cool for 20 mins before trying to remove the sides of the springform pan. Arrange raspberries on top.

Anyway, here are some really helpful tips to prevent your cheesecake from cracking =))

Happy baking!