*crispy waffle*

I have been just a little bit obsessed with pumpkin over the past few weeks. I've made a bunch of pies, bars, you name it. I felt like making a slightly different dessert, and having bought a bunch of cream cheese with the intention of making a lemon cheesecake, I switched gears and went for a pumpkin one instead. 'Tis the season.

One accidental discovery in the process was that kruidnoten, the crunchy tiny Sinterklaas cookies that Zwarte Pieten throw at all the kids this week, make a really excellent cheesecake crust. If you don't have access to pepernoten, gingersnaps are a good substitute. Also, if you don't have access to pepernoten, you are probably better off. They are seriously like an addictive cookie version of crack -- you have one and you can't stop consuming them. Luckily, they are a seasonal treat.

Some tips: Do make sure to use a bain-marie (water bath) to make sure the cheesecake cooks evenly. If you use canned pumpkin, the amount called for here is equivalent to one 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree. Do make sure to cook it briefly (as mentioned in the recipe). I like to serve it with sweetened vanilla creme fraiche. If you don't have easy access to creme fraiche (or if it is expensive), you can add 2 tablespoons of buttermilk to 1 cup of heavy cream, shake it in a jar, and leave it out at room temperature overnight.

Pumpkin cheesecake with sweetened vanilla cream
makes one 9-inch cake

Ingredients

For crust:
9 ounces (250 g) kruidnoten (or gingersnaps)
6 tablespoons (90g) butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

For cheesecake:
1 kabocha pumpkin, about 2 pounds (or 1 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree)
1-1/2 teaspoons speculaas spice (or pumpkin pie spice)
1-1/2 pounds (700g) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla

For vanilla creme fraiche:
1 cup (200ml) creme fraiche
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

If you are using fresh pumpkin: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (160 C). Cut the pumpkin into quarters, scooping out the seeds and stringy stuff. Place in a baking dish, cover with foil, and roast for 1 hour or until soft. Scoop out the flesh and measure out 2 cups.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 C). Crush the cookies in a bag or give it a whirl in a food processor until it is completely in crumbs. Using a fork, combine with the butter until all the crumbs are moistened. Press them firmly into a 9-inch springform pan.
Bake for 15 minutes, until fragrant. Remove to a cooling rack.
Combine the pumpkin with the spices. In a medium saucepan, heat the pumpkin over medium heat, stirring. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until shiny and slightly thickened. Remove and cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the cream cheese and sugar. With the paddle attachment, mix at low speed for a few seconds until softened a bit. Add the cooled pumpkin and vanilla, mix at low speed for another minute or so. Scrape down the bowl. With the mixer running on low, add the eggs one at a time. Scrape down the bowl and combine for another 1-2 minutes.
Cover the outside of the springform pan in two layers of aluminium foil, making sure it is secure around the pan -- you don't want water to get in. Pour the cheesecake filling into the springform pan. Set the springform pan into a roasting pan. Set the pan on the oven rack and fill the roasting pan halfway up the sides with very hot tap water.
Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour. Check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer -- the temperature should be at least 160 degrees F (72 degrees C). If not, bake for 15-20 minutes longer.
Turn off the oven and prop the door open with the handle of a wooden spoon. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and the water bath. Run a knife around the cake to make sure it doesn't stick to the sides of the springform pan. Set on a cooling rack until cooled to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
For the creme fraiche: Combine the creme fraiche, vanilla and sugar. Stir together and refrigerate until you serve the cheesecake.

Labels: recipes, the sweet

posted by sheryl | 6:24 PM |

Ah, I love pumpkin cheesecake. This looks so good. And I really miss kruidnoten. Happy belated Sinterklaas to you!! We celebrated with a stroopwafel and some spekulaas. It was all we had on hand!! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
By

Lepkugen 12/7/08 2:51 AM