Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Tartlets

Yield: 12 bite-sized cheesecakes and 4 4-inch tartlets

Crust
1 cup almond flour or almonds finely ground in food processor
1 cup gingersnap cookies finely ground
3 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 325 degreesF. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl until crumbs are moistened and sticking together.
2. (I used 3 tablespoons of butter, but you may need 4 since the crusts were just a little bit crumbly when placing them onto plates.)
3. Using a 12 cup mini-muffin tin, fill each cup using a tablespoonful of crust mixture. 
4. With the back of the tablespoon, press firmly into each forming a well. Use fingertips to give more definition to the bottoms.
5. To fill the 4-inch tartlet pans, use three tablespoonfuls of crust and mold it into the pans with your fingers.
6. Bake for 10 minutes until set.

Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons caramel sauce, plus extra for garnish
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs

1. In a mixing bowl, cream the brown sugar and cream cheese until fluffy.
2. Add caramel sauce, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt and mix well.
3. Add pumpkin and egg and mix until thoroughly combined.
4. To fill the mini-muffins, use 2 rounded teaspoonfuls; for the tartlets, fill with 4 tablespoons or 1/4 cup.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until middles are set.
6. Place tartlets and entire muffin tray on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
7. Refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours before serving.
8. To remove mini-muffins from tray, gently use an off-set spatula or a rounded knife.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. In a mixing bowl, combine whipping cream, sugar and cinnamon.
2. Beat on medium-high until soft peaks form.
3. Spread over cheesecakes or decorate with a star piping tip before serving.
4. Drizzle with additional caramel sauce.

Tarte Tatin (Upside-down Apple Tart)

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
Frozen puff pastry sheet (from a 17 1/4-ounce package)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
7 to 9 Gala apples (3 to 4 pounds), peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cored
Special equipment: a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Roll pastry sheet into a 101/2-inch square on a floured work surface with a floured rolling pin. Brush off excess flour and cut out a 10-inch round with a sharp knife, using a plate as a guide. Transfer round to a baking sheet and chill.

Caramel Apple Filling: 

1. Cut the butter into little bits and scatter on a 10-inch baking dish. Shake the sugar over it and add 2 tablespoons of water to keep it from crystallizing. Caramelize the sugar by placing the dish on a medium heat. Meanwhile, peel the apples, cut in 2 and remove the core. Cut them into 4 big pieces. Once the butter and sugar have caramelized take the pan off the heat. Place the pieces of apple vertically on top of the caramel in the baking tin, taking care to fill the gaps with more pieces so they stick together in a solid mass. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar over the apples. Put the dish back on a heat diffuser for 15 minutes at a medium heat until the caramel starts bubbling up through the apples.
2. Roll the pastry out and place over the apples folding it in at the edges. Make 3 or 4 holes with a knife and 1 in the middle to let steam out when baking. Bake for 20 minutes and then let it rest for 15 minutes. It is important that you do this otherwise the apples will fall apart when you turn it over. Take a dinner plate and put it over the baking tin. Turn it over. Slowly remove the baking tin.

Note:

There is one rule for eating Tarte Tatin, which is scrupulously observed. It must be served warm, so the cream melts on contact. To the French, a room temperature Tarte Tatin isn’t worth the pan it was baked in.