Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

Biscuit base:

Cheesecake:

To serve:

Method

Biscuit base:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 20 cm cake tin.

Blend the ginger biscuits until fine using a blender. Melt the butter in a microwave and allow to cool.

Mix the biscuit crumbs with the butter and press it into the bottom of the cake tin. Bake for 5 minutes and allow to cool.

Cheesecake:
Increase the oven temperature to 225°C. Carefully wrap the pan with the prepared crust in foil to make it watertight. Place the pan in another bigger pan or into a deep baking tray. Fill with 2 cm boiling water. (This will prevent the cheesecake from cracking).

Cook the pumpkin in salted boiling water until soft. Drain very well and leave to cool.

Mash finely with a fork or potato masher. Add the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and corn flour. Add the cream cheese and beat for about 2 minutes until smooth.

Slowly add the sugar and beat well after each addition. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition. 

Spoon the mixture into the prepared crust and spread out evenly. 

Bake at 225°C for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 150°C and bake for a further 30 minutes. 

Cool in the oven, opening the door briefly to let out a bit of heat. Once it's cooled completely, remove from the pan and allow to chill in the fridge. 

To serve:
Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar just before serving. Slice and enjoy!

Recipe prepared by J’Something at the 2018 LANCEWOOD Cake-Off® competition.