Mini Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecakes

recipe and image from peabody

1 cup pumpkin puree
½  cup heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
1 ¼  pounds cream cheese
½  cup granulated sugar
½  cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 TBSP cornstarch
4 large eggs

12 vanilla or chocolate wafers
chocolate glaze
caramel sauce
1 cup chopped pecans

In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, vanilla extract, spice and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese at medium low speed until creamy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Gradually add the sugars and beat until blended.

Add the pumpkin mixture and mix till blended.

Add the cornstarch and mix just until combined. Add the eggs on at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Place a vanilla wafer at the bottom of each of a prepared mini cheesecake pan.

Scrape the batter evenly among the pan ( you can fill them all the way to the top).

Wrap bottom of pan in aluminum foil.

Place the wrapped pan in a roasting pan or large baking pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come 1 inch up the sides of the cheesecake pan.

Bake the cheesecakes in the water bath for 40 minutes(60 for 4 ½ -inch diameter, and 70 minutes for full size cheesecake) @ 350F, until the center of the cake is set but slightly wobbly (the cake will completely set as it cools).

Remove the cake pan from the water bath, place the pan on a wire rack, and carefully loosen the foil.  Let the cake cool completely.

Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours.

Top each mini cheesecake with pecans. Drizzle both chocolate glaze and caramel glaze on each one as well.

Chocolate Glaze

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons light corn syrup

First, turn the cooled cake over onto another rack so you'll be glazing the flat bottom, and place the rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper to catch any drips.

Put the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl.

Melt the chocolate over a pan of simmering water. The chocolate should be just melted and only warm, not hot.  Meanwhile, bring the cream to a boil in a small sauce pan.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir very gently with a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth and shiny.  Stir in the corn syrup.

Caramel Sauce

2 cups sugar

½ cup water
1 ½ TBSP light corn syrup
½  cup heavy cream plus 1 TBSP
1 tsp vanilla
2 TBSP unsalted butter, at room temperature

To make the topping:
Put the sugar, water and corn syrup in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan, stir just to combine the ingredients and then put the pan over medium-high heat.

Heat, without stirring , until the caramel turns deep amber, 5-10 minutes.

Take the pan off of the heat and, standing back from the saucepan add the cream and butter. 

When the spatters are less vehement, stir to calm down the caramel and dissolve any lumps. 

Add in the vanilla and whisk until smooth.