Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

This twist on a classic Thanksgiving dessert will be a delicious addition to your holiday menu.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart will delight your Thanksgiving guests.

My mother’s recipe box is a treasure. Just flipping through its cards while sipping a cup of coffee is a comforting activity for me. I’ll often find a recipe that trips a memory or makes me say something like, “well, look at that!”

Recently, I found a recipe card for “Pumpkin Tart.” It's not in either Mom’s or Grandma Bubba’s handwriting, so my guess is a friend shared the recipe with one of them. How typical of that era; now it seems like when we want to make a new dish, we ask Google and not a girlfriend.

Most years, Bubba baked pies for Thanksgiving: two pumpkin and one apple. As I learned to bake and cook, I’d occasionally contribute a pecan pie. But I remember we had Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart at least once, but it’s so delicious, it should have become a family tradition.

What I love about this Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart is despite the cheesecake filling, it’s surprisingly light, which is just what you want after a heavy Thanksgiving meal. The other selling point to this recipe is you can make it days ahead of Thanksgiving and keep it in your refrigerator. And it’s absolutely delicious, so let’s get cooking!

For this recipe you’ll need:

• Crust: 12 whole graham crackers

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup butter, melted

• Cheesecake: 2 eggs

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• Pumpkin topping: 2 cups pumpkin

• 3 egg yolks

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1/2 cup sugar (half of this is used in pumpkin, half added to egg whites)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1 envelope plain gelatin

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart is made in three easy stages. It starts with the outstanding graham cracker crust. The easiest way to crush the graham crackers is in a food processor, so I drug out Mom’s old Magic Chef appliance affectionately known as "The Beast." I think this thing might be able to crush bones, but since I only needed crushed crackers, it literally took a couple of seconds. I added the melted butter and sugar and gave it another whirl, then voila! It was ready to press into a 9-by-13-inch pan.

Cream cheese, eggs, sugar plus vanilla creamed together will be poured on top of the crust and baked for 20 minutes.

Next comes the cheesecake filling that will be poured over the crust and baked for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Using a hand mixer, I creamed together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and cream cheese. After the cheesecake is baked, allow it to cool at least 20 minutes before topping it with the pumpkin mixture, which was the most involved of all three steps.

Canned pumpkin is combined with egg yolks, milk, sugar and spices. This mixture is cooked until it thickens to be the base of a pumpkin mousse topping.

In a medium sauce pan, I stirred together the pumpkin, egg yolks, 1/4 cup of sugar, salt, milk, cinnamon and cloves. Mom’s recipe card only gave the vague instruction of “cook until thick,” but I wondered “how thick are they talking about?” So, I decided to cook the mixture over medium heat until it started to blip while stirring occasionally; in total, this took about 15 minutes, but the time may differ depending on your stove.

I transferred the mixture to a mixing bowl to cool. Meanwhile, I dissolved the packet of gelatin in a 1/2 cup of water and stirred this into the pumpkin mixture.

You'll beat egg whites into soft peaks before folding them into a cooled pumpkin mixture.

Next, I beat the egg whites using a mixer, gradually adding the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. The fluffy egg whites were gently folded into the cooled pumpkin, and this now lightened-up pumpkin topping was poured over the cooled cheesecake. After smoothing the pumpkin evenly, the pan was placed into the refrigerator to chill and set up; I left it overnight, but you'll need to plan for at least five hours.

The end result is a divine autumn dessert with a pumpkin mousse top layer, an airy cheesecake middle, and a rich graham cracker crust that had the perfect chewy texture.

How long can you store this dessert? My daughter and I enjoyed this Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart for a week, and each bite was as good as the first. But honestly, if you’re making this for a Thanksgiving gathering, there likely will not be any leftovers!

Can I use a traditional pie crust instead of graham crackers? I think it could detract from the finished dessert if a pastry crust was used, but if it’s necessary you could try this swap that bakes in a springform pan. If someone has a gluten allergy, I’d suggest trying gluten-free graham crackers to use when making the crust.

For additional Thanksgiving ideas, check out:

Jalapeno and Cheddar Cornbread Dressing

Easy Fried Corn

Fresh Cranberry Relish

Spiced Cranberry Poached Apples

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St. Louis Beer and Provel Cheese Dip

Two St. Louis classics come together in an easy dip to enjoy while watching your favorite sports team.

Budweiser and Provel cheese, two St. Louis classics, are the star ingredients to St. Louis Beer and Provel Cheese Dip

During the time when my granddad Larry was a young man, St. Louis was known for being “first in shoes, booze and last in the American League.” It’s certainly true that Brown Shoe Company (1875–2015), which now is Caleres, and the St. Louis Browns (now the Baltimore Orioles) helped to shape St. Louis history, as did the nearly 40 breweries that operated prior to Prohibition.

In the 1930s, St. Louis-style pizza created by Amedeo Fiore added to the city’s food story. In the mid-1960s, Ed and Margie Imo opened their pizzeria with pies that not only featured cracker-thin crusts but the weird cheese blend known as Provel. This processed cheese—a mixture of white cheddar, Swiss and provolone with a touch of smoky flavoring—sparks heated debates between pizza lovers, but the fact is it melts beautifully, which is exactly what the Imo family wanted.

So, I ask you: What could be more “St. Louis” than a dip made with your favorite beer and Provel cheese? I agree, which is why it’s one of the recipes included in my new book, A Culinary History of Missouri: Foodways & Iconic Dishes of the Show-Me State.”

Serve St. Louis Beer and Provel Cheese Dip with soft pretzel bites for a perfect appetizer to share with friends while watching your favorite sports team. Bring it to book club or game night; honestly, who doesn’t want a good cheese dip?

Finding packs of the weird ropes of Provel can be hard if you don't live in St. Louis, so to the cooks who don't live in the area, I’ve got your back with this swap; shred five ounces each of white cheddar, Swiss and mozzarella or provolone. Add a teaspoon of Worcestershire to the pan while melting the cheese and you’re good to go. Let’s start cooking!

For this recipe you will need:

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 16 ounces Imo’s brand Provel cheese (or see the swap out above)

• ¼ cup of Budweiser or your favorite lager-style beer

• ¼ cup milk

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• ½ teaspoon onion powder

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Ropes of Provel, milk, beer, butter plus spices are used in St. Louis Beer and Provel Cheese Dip.

The original recipe included in the book called for Budweiser as an ingredient, but like my granddad, I’m not a fan of Bud, so I used Schlafly’s White Lager. Schlafly based in St. Louis, was one of Missouri’s early locally owned craft brewers and over the years has grown to include multiple locations and a varied line of beer, cider and spritzers. Almost any lager-style beer will work (with exception of bocks). I’d recommend staying away from heavier brews like the stouts, fall/winter ales and even the IPAs.

Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan, then add liquids, mustard, onion and garlic powders, and pepper. Mix together, and gradually add the cheese. Keep stirring with a spatula, being sure to scrap the bottom of the pan so nothing sticks. I noticed the ¼ cup of beer was a little light for the gooey Provel, so added a few additional tablespoons to loosen up the mixture and help the cheese to melt into a smooth consistency.

To keep that consistency, I recommend transferring the melted cheese mixture into a mini slow cooker treated with non-stick spray. Keep the cooker on a "warm" setting. Otherwise, the cheese when it cools down can get gummy. Serve with soft or hard pretzels.

If you have leftover cheese dip, don't freeze it. If you don't need to serve eight people, just cut the ingredient amounts in half. I'm going to try using my leftovers in other recipes, so I'll let you know how that turned out!

In Food in Missouri: A Cultural Stew, Madeline Matson writes, “The brewing of Missouri beer began in the early 19th century. St. Louis was naturally suited for brewing. It had miles of underground caves where beer could be stored. And it had plenty of river water.”

One of the things that struck me while researching the Culinary History of Missouri book was how the state’s many breweries had to pivot when hit with Prohibition after 1920. Some breweries, including the Lemp Brewery in St. Louis, were forced out of business, while others quickly shifted into making other products. For example, Falstaff Corporation (formerly Griesedieck Beverage) made a near beer and IBC root beer. Anheuser-Busch (now under the global AB InBev umbrella) made “Bevo” near beer and baker’s yeast. I saw similar creativity from our bars and restaurants what were shuttered for a time during the height of COVID pandemic. It fostered a new respect for these businesses, many of which still are struggling.

Today, the brewing culture is strong in the Show-Me State, thanks to the craft beer movement that began in the 1980s here. According to the Missouri Craft Brewers Guild, the state is home to more than 150 craft breweries with an economic impact of $1.2 billion.

Because this Wednesday (Oct. 27, 2021) is #AmericanBeerDay, it's appropriate we raise a glass to toast the men and women who work bringing us our favorite brews. You all are skilled craftspeople; thank you for your work.

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Want some other game day appetizer ideas?

Easy Eggplant Parm Dip is a winner

You’ll score with Pull Apart Piggies

Slow Cooker Brisket Sliders will feed your crowd

Spiced Cranberry Poached Apples

Tart cranberries and sweet apples pair up in a dish that works as a dessert, side or at your breakfast table.

Spiced Cranberry Poached Apples

Have we moved away from poaching fruit? Such a pity, because there’s something comforting and elegant to this method of cooking firm fruits, such as apples or pears. What I like about this recipe for Spiced Cranberry Poached Apples is the flavors get better the longer they hang out together. It’s also a wonderful way to use apples that are starting to look a little sad.

Mom and Bubba (granny) sometimes served “stewed apples,” which basically were slices of the fruit cooked in butter, sugar and covered with enough water to help soften the apples. In our house, it was served as a side to braised meat, roast pork or a with a sauerkraut supper. Delicious.

Pears poached in red wine, sugar and cinnamon is a recipe that dates to 18th-century France. Poached fruits and custards were common desserts, and pies and tarts showcased seasonal fruits. As more families gained access to commercially milled flour in the mid-19th century, cakes and cookies—as we know them today—became popular.

In the 1920s and 1930s, “quick mixes” hit the market—usually spice, yellow and white varieties—and in 1948, Pillsbury introduced a chocolate cake mix. Then came home baking trends (now classics) like Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Dump Cake and cobbler and Poke Cake. Intricately sculpted cakes of today are works of art, and innovations continue.

Pastry Arts magazine this spring reported several trends for 2021, including drinkable desserts (think of those monstrous milkshakes covered with candies and bits of cake or pie), cocktail desserts (strawberry daiquiri cheesecake), and savory desserts—sorry, peppered ice cream is just wrong.

I think Americans often forget that we really need just a little sweet after a meal to satisfy, yet restaurants continue to bring slabs of cheesecake and huge hunks of chocolate cake to the table. Yes, we could always say to the server “please bring four forks” and share it with the table, but we don’t always do that.

Now, I love a chocolate lava cake as much as the next guy or gal, but the lovely thing about fruit for dessert is it satisfies our sweet tooth but saves us some calories. For example, the one-cup serving of Spiced Cranberry Poached Apples is 520 calories and almost no fat, while a slice of chocolate layer cake can be 700 calories and almost 40 grams of fat. So, let’s get cooking.

For this recipe, which will generously serve two people, you will need:

• 1¼ cups water

• ¾ cup sugar

• 3 apples (medium size)

• 2 star anise

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• ⅓ cup fresh cranberries

• ⅓ cup golden raisins

Any apples you have on hand will work for Spiced Cranberry Poached Apples.

Bring the water, cinnamon, star anise, sugar and cranberries to a boil. (You’ll love the aroma that fills the kitchen.) Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the berries pop. Meanwhile, peel and core apples; I had a couple of Red Delicious and a Jonathan apple left from my apple picking haul to prep. Depending on what you want your presentation to look like, cut the apples in half or quarter them, which is what I did.

Add the apples and simmer until tender (10 minutes or so). Be sure they are submerged into the liquid; you can crumble parchment paper, open and place on top of apples to help with this.

Remove the apples and set aside. Then bring the spiced liquid to a low boil and let it reduce in volume. It will thicken as it cools.

Remove the star anise and cinnamon sticks. Add the apples and raisins, stir, cover and refrigerate overnight. To serve, spoon fruit into small bowls and drizzle the syrup around them.

Chilled apples with a dollop of vanilla yogurt works for breakfast, or warm a few with the spiced syrup and top your morning oatmeal with the fruit. I think a mix of apples and pears would work in this recipe, too.

If you’re making it for more than two people, use ½ pound of apples and two cups of water. You may want to bump the sugar up to one cup, too.

And like the Slow Cooker Apple Butter, Spiced Cranberry Poached Apples would make a good food gift. It also would be a nice addition to a holiday brunch; I think I'm going to swap cranberry poached apples for my usual fresh cranberry relish for Thanksgiving this year.

Is there room at our tables for poached fruits and baked desserts worthy of a magazine cover? I like to think so, and I hope you'll give Spiced Cranberry Poached Apples a try soon.

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