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Pumpkin Cheesecake

17/11/2023

Pumpkin cheesecake is a tantalizing dessert that combines the creamy taste of cheese with the autumnal flavor of pumpkin. Here’s how to prepare it with an Italian touch.

Ingredients

For the base:

  • 200 g of dry biscuits (like Digestive)
  • 100 g of melted butter

For the filling:

  • 500 g of clean pumpkin
  • 500 g of creamy cheese (like Philadelphia)
  • 200 g of sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder
  • A pinch of salt
  • Grated zest of 1 orange (optional for an Italian touch)

For the decoration:

  • Whipped cream (optional)
  • Powdered sugar (optional)
  • Cinnamon powder (optional)

Preparation

  1. Start by preheating the oven to 180 °C.
  2. For the base: finely chop the biscuits and mix them with the melted butter until you have a homogeneous mixture. Press the mixture onto the bottom of a springform pan previously buttered or lined with parchment paper, creating a compact base. Put in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up.
  3. For the filling: bake the pumpkin in the oven or boil it until it becomes soft, then blend it to obtain a puree.
  4. In a large bowl, mix the creamy cheese with the sugar until you have a smooth cream. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  5. Incorporate the pumpkin puree into the cheese mixture, then add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and if you wish, the grated orange zest to further scent the filling.
  6. Pour the filling over the cold biscuit base and level with a spatula.
  7. Bake in the oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake is almost completely set but still slightly wobbly if you shake the pan.
  8. Once cooked, open the oven door slightly and let the cheesecake cool inside for about 1 hour (this helps prevent cracking).
  9. Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving, even better if overnight.

For the decoration, you can add a touch of whipped cream and dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon just before serving.

Curiosity

Pumpkin cheesecake is a traditional dessert during the Halloween and Thanksgiving period in North America, but with the addition of spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, and especially with the orange zest, it obtains a distinctive note that brings back the sweet scents of Italian cuisine.

Pumpkin Cheesecake