Pumpkin Cheesecake
| 3 Individual Servings: | Full Size (9 Inch): | |
| 8 Oz. | Cream Cheese | 14 Oz. |
| ½ Cup | Granulated Splenda | 1½ Cup |
| 2 Lg. | Eggs | 5 Lg. |
| ½ Cup | Canned Pumpkin | 1½ Cup |
| ½ Tbsp. | Vanilla Extract | 1½ Tbsp. |
| ½ Tbsp. | Nutmeg | 1½ Tbsp. |
| 1 Pinch | Salt | ¼ tsp. |
Preheat oven to 250°F.
If making a full sized cheesecake, line the bottom and sides of a spring form pan with parchment paper. (A little melted butter makes an effective "glue".) Enclose the outside of the pan in a single unbroken sheet of aluminum foil. This will help prevent leaks from the water bath the cheesecake will be cooked in.
Put a kettle of hot water on to boil.
Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until cream cheese is smooth. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides.
Beat in eggs. Scrape down the sides. Beat in pumpkin, vanilla, nutmeg and salt. Scrape down the sides one last time and mix until just combined.
Pour mixture into either 3 - 8 Oz. ramekins for the individual size or the prepared spring form pan for the full size. Place the cheese cake(s) into a larger baking vessel with deep sides. Put the baking vessel into the oven and then fill the outer baking vessel with the hot water until the water comes half way up the sides of the cheesecake. (About an inch or so)
If making the individual sized cheesecakes: cook the cheese cakes for 30 minutes. Then turn off the oven. Open the oven door for one minute then close the oven and let the cheese cakes sit in the cooling oven for another 45 minutes.
If making the full size cheesecake: cook the cheese cakes for 2 hours. Then turn off the oven. Open the oven door for one minute then close the oven and let the cheese cakes sit in the cooling oven for another hour and a half.
Refrigerate cheese cakes until thoroughly chilled. Garnish, serve, enjoy. I like serving this garnished with some spiced nuts.
Carb counts:
Individual size, 3 servings: 10 carbs a piece.
Full size, 8 servings: 11.25 carbs each
Full size, 12 servings: 7.5 carbs each.
Notes on reducing the carb count: Using liquid sucralose will reduce your carb count significantly. Granulated Splenda is 24 carbs a cup. 24 drops of liquid sucralose = 1/2 cup of granulated Splenda.
Made with liquid sucralose:
Individual size, 3 servings: 6 carbs a piece.
Full size, 8 servings: 6.75 carbs each
Full size, 12 servings: 4.5 carbs each.
You can also substitute and equal weight of lite silken tofu for up to half the cream cheese. This give the cheesecake the consistency of an Italian style cheesecake. This ups the protein and saves about 3 carbs for every 4 ounce substitution.
Made with liquid sucralose and tofu:
Individual size, 3 servings: 5 carbs a piece.
Full size, 8 servings: 5.6 carbs each
Full size, 12 servings: 3.75 carbs each.