It’s pumpkin season and cheesecake is my husbands favorite, in particular New York cheesecake. I’ve been promising him a cheesecake for some time, so I combined both of his favorites into one amazing dessert by making it turtle style.
Why is it called Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecake?
Original turtle candies from the early 1900’s are pecans and caramel dipped in chocolate and their shape looks like a turtle. So, apparently it seems that any dessert that features pecans, caramel and chocolates are popularly labeled as ‘Turtle’. Since we’re on the subject of Turtle style desserts, you may want to check out my Turtle Style Chocolate Dipped Oranges for an easy snack or appetizer for entertaining. They look elegant too! New York style cheesecake simply cannot be beaten. After I made this, my husband said this is absolutely the best New York cheesecake he’s ever had (awww). I think the secret is the addition of heavy whipping cream which makes it extra creamy and light. There is one rule about a New York cheesecake that my New York born husband told me, the crust does not go up the sides. I don’t know why, that’s just how they do it. Good to know.
The difference between a New York Cheesecake and regular Cheesecake
New York cheesecake uses heavy whipping cream that is whipped to make it light and airy. Regular cheesecake does not use this method and the cheesecake is denser using more egg yolks. Also, New York cheesecake does not have the crust up the side like regular cheesecake.
Perfectly balanced Pumpkin spice flavors
Some pumpkin cheesecakes get overpowered with the spices used. I am very pleased with the balance I’ve achieved, which allows the flavor of the pumpkin to shine through. While this Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecake is perfectly delicious adorning its birthday suit (below), it’s even better adorned with all of the toppings!
How to prevent Cheesecake from cracking
If you do want to serve the cheesecake plain and looking pretty, the biggest thing is avoiding the cheesecake from cracking (look up ^ mom, no cracks in my cheesecake). Sometimes it can’t be avoided, but there are steps you can take that can really help so here we go:
How to bake the perfect Cheesecake
Nothing is foolproof when it comes to baking, but we can certainly follow certain tips to try to achieve greatness. Cheesecake is like a custard and it needs slow, gentle heating and protecting. This is why it is cooked in a water bath. A water bath is when the pan is placed in a pan of shallow water to slowly heat the cheesecake through. This is also what we call ‘combination cooking’ in the culinary world. We are using both dry and moist cooking methods. Brilliant.
Wrapping the Cheesecake pan in foil
Because a springform pan is used (where the side and bottom of the pan come apart), there is a risk of the water seeping in to the cheesecake. We do not want this, ever. So, for extra insurance, I wrap the outside of the springform pan in foil. These are my tips that helped achieve this perfect cheesecake and I hope they work for you.
How many servings in a 9-inch/23 cm cheesecake?
This depends on the size of the slices. Anywhere from 8-12. If you’ve tried this Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecake or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe. You can also ask a question or leave a comment below. I love to hear from my readers! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see daily recipe updates.
