Baked Eggnog Pumpkin Cheesecake—Prototype 2:
 
Yes, switch the crust from eggnog to pumpkin. In fact, increase the pumpkin's batter and reduce the eggnog's, because the eggnog itself has made the height of its respective batter very high in the previous prototype (close to double that of the pumpkin batter). So let's get these layers more balanced. Yes, also increase the baking time for the whole cheesecake, as well as the head start for the pumpkin batter. However, the overall height of this recipe has gotten too close to the top of the pan. So instead of adding more flour, let's see if the increased cooking time can firm up the batter a little (due to batter re-allocation, let's shift some of the flour as well). Add more pumpkin flavor. Exclude the milk from the crust (I probably should have already done this in the first prototype, due to the high amount of cottage cheese there, but I do not think that the idea grasped my mind at that point).

Much of the pumpkin-related plans for this prototype is derived from
Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake—Prototype 3, while the eggnog batter gets a few small tweaks.

Overall, there are quite a few changes. Just follow the directions below.
 
Pumpkin Crust:
2 oz. melted, white chocolate
2 oz. pumpkin butter (such as from Trader Joe's)
1 cup (8 oz.) whipped lowfat cottage cheese, no salt added
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2.2 oz. Bran Buds, ground up

Pour (or press) into the pan, refrigerate for about half an hour (at least), then bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes (no bath), then remove from oven and cool to touch.

Pumpkin Batter:
2 tablespoons melted or softened butter
5/8 cup granulated sugar
8 oz. pumpkin butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup flour (whole white wheat, such as King Arthur)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups (24 oz.) whipped lowfat cottage cheese, no salt added
2 eggs

Turn oven up to 325 degrees. Add pumpkin batter on top of crust. Put on foil, place into hot bath. Bake for about 40 minutes.

Eggnog Batter:
2 tablespoons butter, softened or melted
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (16 oz.) whipped lowfat cottage cheese, no salt added
2 cups of light eggnog
3/4 cup flour (whole white wheat, such as King Arthur)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs

Carefully scoop this on top of the pumpkin batter, turn oven down to 300 degrees and resume baking for about 120 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool for 3 hours before removing from pan, then refrigerate (at least for a few hours, allowing the cheesecake to get more firm).

Eggnog Pumpkin Cheesecake—Prototype 2 ("For Your Information"/"Scan me!")

This prototype, I feel, came out hopefully a little more firm, but still not as firm as I really wanted. Still, I do not think the cheesecake limped too much. I still had doubts about the eggnog batter staying on top after I scooped it over the pumpkin at the end of its "head start". At least I could taste the pumpkin flavor better this time around. This was still not easy for me to do, probably because my taste buds were losing some sensitivity. But a friend close to my age could pick up both flavors more easily. Maybe I was getting too old. Nevertheless, I felt that I should leave this combination cheesecake unchanged at this point. Maybe someday I'll retry this recipe with more flour if I get a taller cheesecake pan.

As usual, this recipe was a big hit at Living Hope.
 

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