Gluten-free Pumpkin Cheese Cake.

Not too long ago a member of my family was diagnosed with a gluten sensitivity.  So for Thanksgiving, I wanted to make a dessert that she particularly likes and could eat.  Pumpkin pie has always been a favorite, so I knew that anything with pumpkin would work out well.  I also needed it to be something that didn’t have a crust.

Remembering a cheesecake recipe that I have made in the past that was crustless,  I devised this recipe for a cheesecake that is crustless, but gives all the flavor of a pumpkin pie.  We all loved it.  So for anyone who needs a gluten-free dessert, this one is very good.  You can also reduce the fat content by using low-fat cream cheese and low-fat sour cream.  It mixes up easily and can be all made in a little over an hour.  Chill until ready to serve.

Oh, soooo good.

GLUTEN-FREE PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Yield:  serves 8

Ingredients:

Looks like someone’s making a pumpkin cheesecake!

• 2  (8-oz.) packages cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 4 eggs

Topping:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350*F.  Spray or grease a 9-inch deep pie pan, or 10-inch regular pie pan.

2.  In the large bowl of an electric mixer,  put in cream cheese and sugar.  Beat until smooth and thick. Add eggs one at a time beating smooth.  Add vanilla, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice.  Blend in well.  Pour into prepared pie pan.  I had enough filling for a 9-inch deep dish pie plate plus 3 custard cups.

This makes a lot of filling. Use a 10″ pan or several extra custard cups.

3.  Bake at 350*F for 40- 45 minutes.   Test center for doneness.  The cheesecake may develop cracks in the top, but this will be covered by the sour cream topping.

It will puff up as it bakes and may crack like this one did.

4.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 20 minutes.  While cooling the center will become slightly depressed.

A depression forms in the center as it cools a bit.

Meanwhile mix up the topping mixture using a bowl and whisk.  Pour over cheesecake, and bake an additional 10 – 15 minutes.  The topping should fill the depression in the cheesecake, creating a white center with raised edges that are light pumpkin color.  A pretty effect!

Before baking–fill center with sour cream topping.

After baking.

5.  Cool on a wire rack and then refrigerate until ready to serve.

A light and fluffy texture.

Oh, soooo good.

SOURCE:   a  Carolyn’s Original