Well, I’ve been trying to hold off fall as long as possible (heck, I even spent five days in Jamaica pretending it wouldn’t be fall when I got back), but it’s October and pumpkin is calling my name! I was looking for a way to incorporate my favorite pumpkin flavors into a lower-carb dessert and I think this pumpkin cheesecake mousse fits the bill! I’m also including directions with sugar for those who don’t like artificial sweetener and can have sugar. There are a lot of ingredients – you can use “pumpkin pie spice” instead of adding each spice separately, but I just love smelling each of them as they go in, especially the ground cloves…I know cinnamon is the star of pumpkin spice, but I think the cloves really add something special. Don’t be scared by the ingredient list – this is easier than it might look and comes out really delicious!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse – serves 6
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
15 oz. can pumpkin
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon stevia (or 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar)
2 cups whipped cream (I used my sugar-free whipped cream – recipe below – but you can make your own with sugar or use the kind in the tub)
To make whipped cream: combine 1 cup heavy cream, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons stevia, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in chilled mixer bowl. Using chilled beaters (I use the whisk beater because I have one, but if you don’t, the regular beater will work), beat until mixture is fluffy but holds its shape – the best way to describe it is that it will look like whipped cream.
Beat cream cheese in mixer until smooth. Add pumpkin and beat until combined. Add spices, vanilla, lemon juice and sweetener and beat thoroughly. Fold in whipped cream with spatula.
Top with whipped cream, eat and enjoy! Leftovers, if you have any, can be refrigerated.
