Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

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Planning tip - Can be baked up to 3 months ahead. Wrap airtight and freeze. Thaw 2 days in refrigerator before serving.

Nutrition per serving: 420 cal., 9 g pro, 44 g car, 1 g fiber, 23 g fat (13 g saturated) 78 mg chol, 289 mg sod

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  • 12

Ingredients

  • CRUST
  • 8 whole graham crackers
  • 1/2 cup whole hazelnuts, toasted
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 stick (4 Tbsp) butter or margarine, cut up
  • FILLING
  • 2 bricks (8 oz each) reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 reduced-fat sour cream
  • 2 large eggs plus whites from 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 can (15 oz) solid pack pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
  • 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp. each ground cloves and nutmeg
  • Garnish: Chocolate dessert decoration leaves

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat oven to 350. Lightly coat an 8 in. springfoam pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Crust: Break crackers into food processor. Add hazelnuts, sugar and butter. Process until fine crumbs form. Press firmly over bottom and 1 1/2 inch up sides of prepared pan.

3. Filling: Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with mixer on high speed until smooth. On low speed, beat in sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and sour cream, scrapping down sides of bowl often, until well blended. Add eggs and egg whites; beat just until mixed.

4. Melt the chocolate chips according to the package directions. Add 1 1/2 cup of cheese mixture and stir until well blended.

5. Stir pumpkin and spices into remaining cheese mixture until well blended. Reserve 1/4 cup; pour rest into crust.

6. Pour the chocolate mixture onto pumpkin batter in a thick ring about 1/2 in. from sides of pan. Top with dollops of reserved 1/4 cup pumpkin batter. Run a knife through both batters for a marble effect. (Don't overdo or the effect will be muddied.)

7. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted 2 in. from center of cake comes out clean. Carefully run a knife around inside edge of pan to release cake.

8. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack, then cover and refrigerate in pan at least 4 hours or up to 1 week. Or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator 2 days before serving.

9. To serve: Remove pan sides. Place case on serving plate and garnish.

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