Pumpkin Mousse Torte Recipe

Pumpkin Mousse with a graham cracker crust, cheesecake layer topped with pumpkin mousse finished with a wreath of whipped cream

4.67 from 3 votes

This Pumpkin Mousse Torte Recipe was the most popular dessert we made at the bakery for the fall months including Thanksgiving. The crumb crust, topped with a cheesecake layer and finished with a light, but intense pumpkin mousse soon became everyone's favorite.

Prep Time1 20

Cook Time30

Total Time1 50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Pumpkim Dessert, Pumpkin Mousse, Thanksgiving

Servings: servings

Calories: 441kcal

Author: Helen S. Fletcher

Equipment

1 9x3 cheesecake or springform pan

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (140 grams)
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed (50 grams)
4 tablespoons butter, melted (60 grams or 1/2 stick)

Cheesecake Layer

8 ounces cream cheese, softened (225 grams)
3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pumpkin Mousse

1 tablespoon gelatin
5 tablespoons cold water
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 2/3 cups canned pumpkin (570 grams or 1 1/4 15 oz. cans)
2/3 cup powdered sugar (85 grams)
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves

Whipped Cream Decoration

1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
pecan pieces as needed, optional

Instructions

Graham Cracker Crust

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9x3" cheesecake or springform pan with a non-stick baking rlelease. Set aside.
If using ready made crumbs, combine them with the brown sugar. Mox well. Add the melted butter and mix with a fork to start coating the crumbs. After initially coating them, I use my hand to mix them as it is so much faster and better.
If using whole graham crackers, crush them between your hands and put them in the bowl of the food processor. Process to make crumbs, but do ot turn it to powder. Add the brown sugar and pulse several times to mix well. Transfer to a bowl, add themelted butter and stir with a fork to initially mix. As above, I prefer to finish with my hand but either way is fine.
In either case, arrange the crumbs evenly over the pan and press in firmly with the heel of your hand. Bake for 10 minutes.
There is no need to clean the processor bowl for the next step. Simply wipe it out with a paper towel.

Cheesecake Layer

While the crust is baking, prepare the cheesecake layer. Cut the softened cream cheese into fourths. Place evenly around the processor. Process until it is smooth; add the granulated sugar and vanilla. Process until smooth, scraping down as necessary.
Add the eggs and yolk and process again until smooth. Scrape down well so no cream cheese is visible.
Pour over the crust and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until completely set. It will be somewhat browned along the edge of the crust but there should be no color on top and it will not jiggle. Remove from the oven immediately and cool completely before proceeding.

Pumpkin Mousse

In a mixing bowl, beat the cram with a whisk attachment until medium peaks form. Do not beat until stiff or it will be difficult to fold in. Remove to a bowl and refrigerate until needed. There is no need to clean the bowl.
Combine the gelatin and cold water in a small bowl. Stir well and set aside to bloom.
In the same mixing bowl, add all of the ingredients except the whipped cream and gelatin. Mix briefly to combine.
Liquify the gelatin by heating it in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds. With the mixer running, pour it in being careful to pour it between the edge of the bowl and the whisk. Mix for about a minute or two to make sure the gelatin is evenly incorporated.
Fold in the whipped cream. Pour it over the cheesecake layer and smooth out the top.
Refrigerate overnight or freeze at this point.

Whipped Cream Wreath

Whip the cream and powdered sugar to the stiff peak stage. Fit a piping bag with a #5 or 6 open star tip. Pipe a wreath around the edge of the Pumpkin Mousse Torte and sprinkle with coarsely chopped pecans if using.
The torte can be refrigerated up to 3 days. Serve from the refrigerator.

Notes

There is always an abundance of photos to guide you in the post above. If you have questions, look at the photos or read the header of the article. Many of them will be answered there.

As always, I recommend using a scale for accuracy and consistency. Flour, in particular, is difficult to measure by volume. For my recipes, I use 140 grams per cup of unsifted all-purpose, bread or whole wheat flour and 125 grams of cake flour. Others may use different weights so use whatever they suggest.

Unless otherwise noted, salt refers to table salt.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

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Not all graham crackers are made the same way. Consequently, some will take more or less butter to bind them. Because this crust is baked, it doesn't require as much butter as unbaked crusts. These should stick together when pressed into the pan.

Either light or dark brown sugar can be used.

Full fat or 1/3 less fat cream cheese can be used for the cream cheese layer.

Look for cans of pumpkin that say 100% or Real pumpkin. Libby has both labels. Some cans marked "pumpkin" use a different squash that is very much, in color and taste, like pumpkin but is actually kobacha also known as Japanese pumpkin.

While I used vanilla that cost $400 a gallon at the restaurant, I also used McCormick Imitation Vanilla for recipes heavy in chocolate or spices. McCormick Imitation Vanilla is fine here. See my post, The Making of Vanilla to learn more about the fascinating world of vanillas.

Heavy cream is higher in fat content, whips up better and holds with no stabilizers. We used it for fillings, to frost cakes and as an ingredient in other recipes. At no time did we stabilize it in any way - no gelatin, corn starch or anything. If frozen, it thawed beautifully. This only works with heavy or 40% cream.

I find a cheesecake pan is easier to use and from which to release the product. They are also easier to clean. Springform pans often have a ridge at the bottom that makes getting them off the bottom can be difficult.

Baking the graham crust bottom ensures it will not become soggy.

Nutrition