Pumpkin is a fruit, ripe and plentiful in the season of fall. Versatile, used in soups, stews, breads, pies and desserts. The classic cheesecake is enhanced with butternut squash, referred to as butternut pumpkin in Australia and New Zealand. Its smooth buttery texture blends beautifully with the cream cheese mixture, while its natural sweetness eliminates the addition of extra sugar. Roasting the squash in the oven softens the flesh intensifying its flavour. It is easy to make pumpkin puree at home, one that I prefer to canned. This foolproof, no crack cheesecake can be baked with either chocolate spirals or swirls, designed to suit any occasion. Perfect showstopper for halloween, thanksgiving or any holiday celebrations.
A cheesecake consists of two layers; the bottom one that is thin forming a crust or base made with crushed graham crackers, digestive biscuits, gingersnap cookies, oreo cookies or sponge cake crumbs. The top layer is usually thick with a rich texture consisting of cream cheese, sugar, eggs, sour cream enhanced with vanilla and fruit puree. Baked in a springform pan using the water bath process for even distribution of heat and preventing the cake from drying out. Cooled, refrigerated to set and served with a drizzle of sweet sauce or dollop of whipped cream. Sinfully delicious with its creamy consistency, so a small slice goes a long way.
A cheesecake consists of two layers; the bottom one that is thin forming a crust or base made with crushed graham crackers, digestive biscuits, gingersnap cookies, oreo cookies or sponge cake crumbs. The top layer is usually thick with a rich texture consisting of cream cheese, sugar, eggs, sour cream enhanced with vanilla and fruit puree. Baked in a springform pan using the water bath process for even distribution of heat and preventing the cake from drying out. Cooled, refrigerated to set and served with a drizzle of sweet sauce or dollop of whipped cream. Sinfully delicious with its creamy consistency, so a small slice goes a long way.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
(Serves 10)
Ingredients:
You will need a 8.5" springform pan
Crust
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups honey Graham crumbs (available at Walmart) or finely ground cookies (as desired)
1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
1 teaspoon ginger powder
extra butter for greasing
Method:
Grease the bottom and interior sides of the springform pan with butter.
Secure the bottom of the pan with two large pieces of aluminum foil ensuring to cover all the way up along the sides and folding inside around the top edge. This will prevent water from seeping at the base into the seams of the springform pan.
In a bowl, mix the crumbs with the melted butter and ginger powder using a fork until well moistened. Press crumbs in the pan all over the bottom and along the sides. Use fingers or smooth bottom with a measuring cup or glass. Refrigerate the pan and prepare the filling.
Note:
Pumpkin Puree
Ingredients:
1041 grams butternut squash
olive oil
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 F or 200 C.
Wash the squash and cut lengthwise into two halves. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Brush the halves with some olive oil and place them flesh side down onto the sheet. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender when easily pierced with a fork.
Once warm to the touch, scoop out the flesh with a spoon in a blender jar. Place the puree in a sieve placed over a bowl to get rid of any excess moisture. Do not strain butternut squash puree unless you are using a pumpkin with a stringy texture.
Reserve 1 cup puree for the cheesecake. Refrigerate the balance puree for another cheesecake.
Alternatively, dilute the balance puree with some stock or water, season with salt and pepper. Enjoy delicious soup.
Note:
Filling
Ingredients:
375 gms full-fat cream cheese
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
300 ml full-fat sour cream
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Club House allspice powder
2 tablespoons all purpose flour or maida
Method:
Ensure that cream cheese, eggs and sour cream are at room temperature.
For the water bath, boil some water in a saucepan or kettle enough to cover halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
Preheat oven to 300 F or 150 C and ensure that the oven rack is in the middle position.
In a food processor, blend the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and with no lumps. Add the pumpkin puree, then the sour cream, vanilla extract, allspice powder and finally, the eggs. When adding the eggs, pulse only three times to incorporate. Do not overbeat and incorporate too much air or else the cake will rise and crack. Pour filling over the crust.
Pipe cake with melted milk chocolate in concentric circles or a tight spiral from the centre of the cake to the edges. Using a wooden skewer, create a spider web by dragging from the centre to the edge of the cake. Wipe skewer with a paper towel after each line.
Carefully place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water in the roasting pan covering halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes until the cake is set all around with a slight jiggle in the centre. It will firm up on cooling. (Do not test cake with a toothpick.) Let cake rest in the pan for some time. Remove the aluminum foil and cool cake completely in the pan before refrigerating.
Cover pan with a plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or at least for 12 to 24 hours.
Run a knife along the sides of the pan to loosen cheesecake. Remove the outer rim of the pan. With a long palette knife, loosen the bottom crust on all sides and then slide cake onto a platter. (If you find it difficult to separate the crust, cutting a slice first makes it much easier or cake can be served with the base of the pan.)
Dip a smooth knife in hot water, wipe dry with paper towel and slice the cake. Repeat the above process for each cut.
Serve cake with whipped cream.
Note:
Chocolate Spiral
Ingredients:
1 bar milk chocolate (100 grams, 8 squares)
1 tablespoon cream
Method:
Place chocolate squares with cream in a shallow microwave-safe bowl (uncovered). Heat on medium high for 10 seconds. Stir and continue to cook for an additional 10 seconds until the chocolate has a smooth consistency and melted. Pour in a ziploc bag, snip a small hole at the bottom of one corner to pipe.
Whipped Cream
Ingredients:
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
Method:
Freeze the bowl and beaters for 30 minutes. Beat the cream with sugar until stiff peaks are formed.
Note:
(Serves 10)
Ingredients:
You will need a 8.5" springform pan
Crust
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups honey Graham crumbs (available at Walmart) or finely ground cookies (as desired)
1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
1 teaspoon ginger powder
extra butter for greasing
Method:
Grease the bottom and interior sides of the springform pan with butter.
Secure the bottom of the pan with two large pieces of aluminum foil ensuring to cover all the way up along the sides and folding inside around the top edge. This will prevent water from seeping at the base into the seams of the springform pan.
In a bowl, mix the crumbs with the melted butter and ginger powder using a fork until well moistened. Press crumbs in the pan all over the bottom and along the sides. Use fingers or smooth bottom with a measuring cup or glass. Refrigerate the pan and prepare the filling.
Note:
- If gingersnaps cookies are used for the crust then, omit the ginger powder.
Pumpkin Puree
Ingredients:
1041 grams butternut squash
olive oil
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 F or 200 C.
Wash the squash and cut lengthwise into two halves. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Brush the halves with some olive oil and place them flesh side down onto the sheet. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender when easily pierced with a fork.
Once warm to the touch, scoop out the flesh with a spoon in a blender jar. Place the puree in a sieve placed over a bowl to get rid of any excess moisture. Do not strain butternut squash puree unless you are using a pumpkin with a stringy texture.
Reserve 1 cup puree for the cheesecake. Refrigerate the balance puree for another cheesecake.
Alternatively, dilute the balance puree with some stock or water, season with salt and pepper. Enjoy delicious soup.
Note:
- Refer to roasting butternut squash pictures by clicking here.
Filling
Ingredients:
375 gms full-fat cream cheese
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
300 ml full-fat sour cream
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Club House allspice powder
2 tablespoons all purpose flour or maida
Method:
Ensure that cream cheese, eggs and sour cream are at room temperature.
For the water bath, boil some water in a saucepan or kettle enough to cover halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
Preheat oven to 300 F or 150 C and ensure that the oven rack is in the middle position.
In a food processor, blend the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and with no lumps. Add the pumpkin puree, then the sour cream, vanilla extract, allspice powder and finally, the eggs. When adding the eggs, pulse only three times to incorporate. Do not overbeat and incorporate too much air or else the cake will rise and crack. Pour filling over the crust.
Pipe cake with melted milk chocolate in concentric circles or a tight spiral from the centre of the cake to the edges. Using a wooden skewer, create a spider web by dragging from the centre to the edge of the cake. Wipe skewer with a paper towel after each line.
Carefully place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water in the roasting pan covering halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes until the cake is set all around with a slight jiggle in the centre. It will firm up on cooling. (Do not test cake with a toothpick.) Let cake rest in the pan for some time. Remove the aluminum foil and cool cake completely in the pan before refrigerating.
Cover pan with a plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or at least for 12 to 24 hours.
Run a knife along the sides of the pan to loosen cheesecake. Remove the outer rim of the pan. With a long palette knife, loosen the bottom crust on all sides and then slide cake onto a platter. (If you find it difficult to separate the crust, cutting a slice first makes it much easier or cake can be served with the base of the pan.)
Dip a smooth knife in hot water, wipe dry with paper towel and slice the cake. Repeat the above process for each cut.
Serve cake with whipped cream.
Note:
- Spider made with a small ball of cream cheese mixed with icing sugar and cocoa powder. Shaped into two; head and body, each rolled in chocolate sprinkles. Curved pieces of pretzels were coated with melted chocolate, set aside to dry over a skewer and used as the legs.
Chocolate Spiral
Ingredients:
1 bar milk chocolate (100 grams, 8 squares)
1 tablespoon cream
Method:
Place chocolate squares with cream in a shallow microwave-safe bowl (uncovered). Heat on medium high for 10 seconds. Stir and continue to cook for an additional 10 seconds until the chocolate has a smooth consistency and melted. Pour in a ziploc bag, snip a small hole at the bottom of one corner to pipe.
Whipped Cream
Ingredients:
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
Method:
Freeze the bowl and beaters for 30 minutes. Beat the cream with sugar until stiff peaks are formed.
Note:
- Vanilla sugar can be substituted with confectioner's sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.