Marble Pumpkin Cheesecake
This holiday-inspired recipe is a marriage made in heaven. One of the great revelations to me when I moved to the United States was pumpkin pie. How is it possible I had never known it before? So much time lost!
But there is another type of pie I really love and that is pay de queso, the way we made it when I was growing up in Mexico. It’s like a very light cheesecake.
So I thought, what would happen if I combined the two? Well, the result was something special.
When I was thinking about how to create this recipe, I immediately thought of Ranchero® Queso Fresco, because it has the perfect consistency, a light saltiness, and just the right amount of moisture.
Not only does this pie have the best of both traditional pies-the rich aromas of the pumpkin pie with the lightness of the Mexican style cheesecake, but together they create the perfect sweet and savory balance delivered in a light, marbled filling. It even looks particularly beautiful.
Note: Click the ‘Products‘ tab above to learn more about the Cacique® ingredients used in this recipe. You can find these ingredients near you by clicking the ‘Find Stores‘ tab, selecting the products you are looking for, and entering your zip code.
WHAT YOU NEED
- For the crust:
- 12-13 cinnamon-flavored 2”x5” graham crackers, pulverized, save a bit aside for dusting top at the end.
- 6 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- For the pumpkin mixture:
- 1 cup of canned pumpkin
- 1/2 (7 oz) can condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 egg
- For the cheese mixture:
- 1 (10 oz) Ranchero® Queso Fresco
- 1/2 (7 oz) can condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- 1 egg
- For the finish:
- whipped cream
- a dusting of pulverized graham cracker
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Pre-heat oven 350 F. In a 10 inch pie mold mix the pulverized graham crackers, pumpkin pie spice and butter. With your hands press until you cover the bottom and half-way up the walls of the mold. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven, and let rest.
- In a medium bowl whisk together canned pumpkin, condensed milk, pumpkin spice and egg. Set apart.
- In a blender mix queso fresco, condensed milk, vanilla extract, evaporated milk and egg until smooth.
- Make a thin layer of the cheese mixture on the bottom of the mold, then add streaks of the pumpkin mixture on top. With a spoon integrate the pumpkin streaks randomly to create a marbling effect (See photo). Add a second layer of the cheese mixture on top of the streaks of pumpkin, then add more pumpkin mixture on top of the streaks of cheese. Repeat until you finish with both mixtures.
- Bake for 25 minutes at 350 F. Then lower the temperature to 325 F and bake for another 25 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the pie rest inside for 2 hours. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
