Name: Pumpkin Cheesecake
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 1/2 butternut pumpkin (squash) (approx 700g (1 1/2lb) or 1 cup unsweetened canned pumpkin); 2 packets cream cheese (500g / 1lb total weight, softened); 1 carton sour cream (300g / 10oz); 175 g sugar; 5 eggs

I have squeezed 14 serves out of this cheesecake but I was wishing I had made a larger one!

I’ve made this without a biscuit base to keep it under 5 ingredients and gluten-free. I love it without but feel free to line the base of your pan with crushed cookies if you like.

Feel free to roast your own pumpkin, but if you have access to commercial canned pumpkin, I’d take that option.

For a regular cheesecake, just ditch the pumpkin.

I have a weakness for vanilla icecream but feel free to serve with whipped cream or even marscapone.

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Pumpkin Cheesecake

Total Time 1 20

Servings hungry people

Ingredients

1/2 butternut pumpkin (squash) approx 700g (1 1/2lb) or 1 cup unsweetened canned pumpkin
2 packets cream cheese 500g / 1lb total weight, softened
1 carton sour cream 300g / 10oz
175 g sugar
5 eggs

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200C (400F).
Scoop seeds from the squash and discard. Cut in half lengthwise and place on a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for about an hour, or until really soft. Allow to cool
Decrease oven temp to 180C (350F). Line a 9in (23cm) springform pan with baking paper and grease the base and sides with oil or butter.
Scoop pumpkin flesh away from the skin and finely chop or puree in a food processor. Measure out 1 cup or (1/2lb) 250g
Whisk together cream cheese and sour cream and stir eggs and sugar until combined. Add egg mixture to the cream cheese a little at a time until all combined OR whizz everything in a food processor until smooth.
Stir through or whizz in the prepared pumpkin.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour or until golden around the edges and the cheesecake feels firm in the centre when you touch the top. If you have time allow to cool in the oven but if you need to make way for the turkey, by all means do so.

Quantities for Different Serving Sizes:

If I’m going to the effort of making a cheesecake, I tend to stick to the 9in size as a minimum and then give the leftovers away to my guests.

Serves 6-8 bake in an 8in (20cm) pan
1/2 butternut pumpkin (squash) approx 700g (1 1/2lb) or 2/3 cup unsweetened canned pumpkin
1 1/2 packets cream cheese (350g / 12oz total weight), softened
2/3 carton sour cream (200g / 7oz)
120g (4oz) sugar
3 eggs
bake approximately 45-60 minutes

Serves 16-18 bake in an 11in (26cm) pan
3/4 butternut pumpkin (squash) approx 1kg (2lb) or 1 1/2 cups unsweetened canned pumpkin
3 packets cream cheese (750g / 24oz total weight), softened
1 1/2 cartons sour cream (420g / 14oz)
260g (9oz) sugar
7 eggs
bake approximately 60-80 minutes

Prepare Ahead

You can prepare the pumpkin puree up to 5 days in advance and keep in the fridge.

The cheesecake mixture could be prepared in advance and left in the mixing bowl before transferring to the pan to bake. If preparing in advance more than a few hours, best to store in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Don’t store in the spring form pan as it could leak over time.

My preference would be to bake the cheesecake up to 3 days in advance, cool to room temperature and store in the fridge. Remove from the fridge an hour before serving to allow to come up to room temperature.

Variations

dairy-free – I’m afraid you’re out of luck with the cheesecake. Try the apple crisp instead.

egg free – I have successfully replaced eggs in baking with 1/2 a mashed banana per egg. Unfortunately I haven’t had time to test this recipe but I’m pretty sure it would be fine, although the flavour will change slightly.

Problem Solving Guide

cheesecake sinking – I like a little bit of rustic sinking in my cheesecake but if it worries you, bake the cheesecake in a very hot water bath and allow to cool in the water bath in the oven for an hour.

lumpy cheesecake – sounds like it hasn’t been mixed sufficiently. If you aren’t using a food processor it can be difficult to get a completely smooth cake but by making sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before you start can make a big difference. Adding the egg mixture to the cream cheese in very gradual steps can help as well.

watery liquid weeping from cheesecake – this means the cheesecake has been overcooked. Not much we can do this time but next time try a lower temperature and start checking the cheesecake earlier in the baking process.

can’t find sour cream? – substitute in creme fraiche or just regular heavy whipping cream (35% milk fat).

not sweet enough? – I prefer my desserts not to be super-sweet. If you have a hardcore sweet-tooth that needs satisfying, try increasing the sugar to 200g / 7oz.

Leftover Potential

Excellent but dangerous. Just keep in the fridge and try not to eat for breakfast 😉

For something a bit different, chop a few slices of cheesecake into rough chunks. Allow some commercial vanilla icecream to soften in the fridge for 1/2 hour then stir cheesecake chunks through. Refreeze for at least an hour. Yum.