hat better time of the year than the holidays to make cheesecake. These two recipes are my take on the traditional creamy dessert.

With mini cupcakes, you can have your own individual portion and feel no guilt about eating them after a huge meal. They are a light package topped with sweet blueberries and the zest of lemon. Then, what better way to follow the holiday theme than to utilize pumpkin in a dessert. You can create your own showstopper dessert with classic cheesecake with a holiday pumpkin and spice flair.

Whether you like fruit-topped cheesecake or a light, deliciously spiced decadent pumpkin dessert, these two cheesecake recipes are fun to make at home and fantastically delicious to eat. Each cheesecake recipe makes a flavorful yet light dessert to end any meal.

Maine Blueberry Lemon Cheesecakes

1½ cups of graham crackers, ground into a meal

6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons of sugar

2 pounds of Philadelphia brand cream cheese at room temperature

½ cup of creme fraiche or sour cream

4 large eggs also at room temperature

11/3 cups of sugar

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons of fresh lemon zest

1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 cups (10 ounces) of frozen Maine blueberries

4 tablespoons of sugar

1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest

1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons of cornstarch

Pinch of salt

1 cup of heavy cream

2-3 tablespoons of granulated sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 tablespoon of creme fraiche (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two cupcake pans with cupcake liners and set aside.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add graham crackers, sugar and melted butter. Mix the ingredients together, and divide all the graham cracker mixture between all of the cupcake liners. Pat down your cracker crusts into one even layer. Bake the crusts in the oven for 5-7 minutes, watching them.

To make the filling, place cream cheese into the bowl of stand-up mixer. Mix on low speed, with the paddle attachment until the cream cheese is no longer lumpy. Slowly add in sugar and dissolve. The next step is to add in eggs one at a time, to evenly incorporate each egg into the batter. Add in all of your flavorings and then the creme fraiche.

With an ice cream scooper, fill in the cream cheese filling evenly into the cupcake papers. Place the cheesecake trays into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until they are set. Each mini cheesecake should slightly jiggle in the center. Let the cheesecakes set up on a cooling rack until fully cooled. Cover and refrigerate until ready to top with your blueberry topping and the whipped cream or top after the mini cakes are cooled.

BLUEBERRY TOPPING

In a small heavy bottom saute pan, add in all of your ingredients except your lemon juice and your cornstarch. Bring the blueberry mixture to a gentle boil and then to a simmer for 7-10 minutes, mixing it gently and occasionally.

Mix together cornstarch and lemon juice, set aside until the blueberry mixture is ready. When blueberry mixture has cooked, add cornstarch mixture. Cook for about 1 minute to thicken. Place the blueberry mixture into a heatproof bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the filling so that it will not develop a skin on the surface. Set aside.

You can make this ahead of time and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING

In the bowl of your stand mixer, add all of your ingredients. Mix on low speed with the whisk attachment for 1-2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium high and whip until medium stiff peaks form. Set aside until ready to use.

To assemble your cheesecakes, add some of your whipped cream topping and then your blueberry topping.

Holiday Pumpkin Cheesecake

1½ cups of graham cracker crumbs

6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons of sugar

1 can of pumpkin puree

4 8-ounce packages of Philadelphia cream cheese (2 pounds)

5 large eggs at room temperature

2 tablespoons of cornstarch

12/3 cups of sugar

1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

¼ teaspoon of salt

½ cup heavy cream

Whipped cream, chopped walnuts or pecans as optional garnish

Butter a 9-inch springform pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Mix graham cracker crumbs, unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons sugar together. Pat the mix on the bottom of the pan and even out with a flat surface. Bake your crust 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Layer a flat sheet pan with paper towels. Spread your pumpkin puree over the paper towels. Then lay more paper towels on top and press down to remove any liquid. Place the pumpkin puree in a bowl and set aside.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Prepare a water bath (an inch or two of water) in the bottom of a large roasting pan. This pan will hold your cheesecake while baking.

In stand-up mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on low speed until smooth. With the mixer running slowly add the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to incorporate all well. Add the pumpkin puree. Mix.

Next the eggs go into your batter, one at a time, blending after each egg addition. Add the pure vanilla extract, the heavy cream and the pumpkin pie spice. Combine.

With the mixer turned off, sift in the cornstarch and mix on medium low until the cornstarch is dissolved into the batter. Add the salt. Pour the batter into the crust.

Wrap the cheesecake pan in a large piece or two of aluminum foil, so that the water bath will not go into the springform pan. Set the cheesecake gently into the water bath in your roasting pan.

Bake for about one and a half to two hours until the cheesecake sets up but will be a bit jiggly in the center.

Once the cheesecake is done baking, leave the cheesecake in the oven, prop the oven door ajar a little and turn off the oven. Allow the cheesecake to set up in the oven for another hour.

Remove cheesecake from the oven and set onto a cooling rack until it’s ready to cover and refrigerate.

Garnish as desired.

Sarah Schweitzer is dual-certified in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry from the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts (www.escoffier.edu). She is a former line cook for Chef Robert Irvine at “Fresh Kitchen by Robert Irvine” which was located at the Downtown Allentown Market. Sarah is currently working as a Sous-Chef at Ateira’s on First and has her own blog simplysarah.online. She can be reached at sarah.schweitzer18@gmail.com.