BY CHERYL ORR

I love all that is fall! The cooler temperatures, longer nights, and of course the seasonal foods. Pumpkin, squash, sweet potato, pear, and apple are such wonderful autumnal treats, and they are all enhanced by warm spices that bring that cozy fall feeling.

A particular spice I like to use in fall dishes is cardamom. Many readers have asked me what the spice is and where to find it. Cardamom has a strong, sweet flavor and aroma, with hints of lemon and is used to spice both sweet and savory dishes. This spice is made from the seed pods of various plants in the ginger family and is available in most grocery stores.

Ginger is another warm spice that works well in seasonal dishes. Ginger is a rhizome, or root, and grows underground. Dried ground ginger became popular centuries ago in Europe when the spice trade with the Middle East introduced this exotic flavor to many. Today fresh ginger is popular in savory dishes while ground ginger is often used in baking. This spice is warm and peppery with light lemony notes.

Another spice I love to use to enhance fall flavors is nutmeg. Nutmeg is derived from the seed of the nutmeg tree. This tree also produces another popular autumnal spice called mace. Nutmeg is the inner seed, while mace is the red substance that covers the seed. Nutmeg has a milder and sweeter taste while mace has a little spicier flavor with hints of pepper and cinnamon. I prefer to grate my own nutmeg seeds for fresh flavor, but you can find it already ground at the grocery store.

And who doesn’t love the warm flavor of cinnamon. This spice has been used to both enhance foods and as a medicine. It comes from the brown bark of the cinnamon tree and is found rolled into a stick or ground. Cinnamon is the most popular spice used in the US besides salt and pepper, and although popular year-round it especially enhances fall favorites.

A fairly easy recipe that is rich with fall flavors is my Autumn Cheesecake. It’s similar to my pumpkin cheesecake but has the rich flavors of a spice cake, and has the addition of a caramel and pecan topping.

Cheesecakes are often baked in a hinged spring form pan in a water bath. Rather than chance the water leaking into my dessert, I like to set a pan of simmering water on the rack directly below the cheesecake in the oven to allow the steam to cook the cheesecake evenly and help to prevent cracks in the surface.

Although the batter is quick to make it’s a recipe that does take time to bake and cool properly. I turn off the oven after baking and leave the door closed to continue to trap the steam, and allow the cheesecake to come to room temperature for a few hours before refrigerating.

This week I have included my Autumn Cheesecake recipe. Enjoy!

If you have a cooking question, contact me at cher.orr@gmail.com and I’d be happy to assist!

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Autumn Spice Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS 

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 and 3/4 cups ground gingersnaps or graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• 32 ounces full fat cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup sweet potato puree
• ¼ cup smooth unsweetened applesauce
• ½ cup sour cream, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon cardamon
• ¼ teaspoon cloves
• 5 eggs, room temperature
• 1 egg yolk, room temperature

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick
   cooking spray.
2. Combine gingersnap or graham cracker crumbs, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ cup
   sugar. Mix in melted butter. Press mixture onto the bottom and sides of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, and set aside to cool. Leave oven set to 325 degrees.
3. Combine the sugars and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and blend on medium speed for 5 minutes. Mix in pumpkin and sweet potato purees, and applesauce, and scrape bottom and sides of mixing bowl. Add sour cream, vanilla, and spices, and blend until well combined, and again scraping sides and bottom of mixing bowl. Add eggs and yolk one at a time, blending well after each addition.
4. Evenly pour the mixture over the crust in the pan and smooth with a spatula. Gently place pan in oven. Set a sheet pan on a rack below the cheesecake pan and fill the sheet pan with hot water.
5. Bake for 1 hour or a little more until sides are firm and center is just slightly jiggly. Turn off oven. Leave cheesecake in oven with door closed for a few hours until cooled. Transfer cheesecake to refrigerator and chill overnight. To release cheesecake from pan run a sharp knife carefully between cheesecake and pan, and release hinge to open.
6. To slice cheesecake run a sharp knife under hot water and slice, repeating each time. Top with a prepared caramel sauce combined with chopped pecans, and serve.

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Cheryl Orr is offering weekly Canapé Club at the Patisserie at Edenton Bay, as well as Supper Club that all can attend. She is currently completing her cookbook, and offering private cooking classes, small catering, and private chef dinners.