GERMAN-STYLE PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE
ARE pumpkin cheesecakes a new trend or am I late to the bandwagon? Almost all the recipes I search for have crusts made of crushed crackers or biscuits with molten butter, but I’d rather have something smoother and cohesive so to speak. The second problem I encountered was that many recipes listed canned pumpkin and not the fresh kind. I was also not in the mood to research how to make pumpkin puree. So with some German and Turkish inspiration, here is a German-style pumpkin cheesecake that will make your knees soft because it is so creamy.
INGREDIENTS
n 300 grams pumpkin
n 350 milliters heavy cream
n 230 grams butter
n 230 grams sugar
n 4 eggs
n 200 grams flour
n 1 teaspoon baking powder
n 400 grams cream cheese/labneh
n 2 teaspoons cinnamon
n 2 teaspoons cacao
n pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
WASH and peel the pumpkin and cut them into small cubes. Cook the pumpkin with the heavy cream until it has softened. This might take 10-15 minutes depending on how big the pumpkin pieces are. Let it cool off.
Meanwhile, prepare the base layer by mixing the dry ingredients, namely flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt and then adding 100 grams butter, 75 grams sugar and one egg. Knead until all the ingredients are fully incorporated and press this dough into a springform that you have previously greased up. Makes sure the dough goes up to the sides and covers them as well, and is even.
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius and begin preparing the filling by melting the 130 grams of butter and letting that cool off a bit. Mix the melted butter, cream cheese, the remaining sugar and cinnamon and whisk until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Add the three eggs one by one and mix again. Pour the filling into the springform and bake for 20 minutes in your preheated oven. After that, turn down the heat to 120 degrees and bake it for another 45 minutes. Once the time is up, turn the oven off and let the cake rest for an hour.
Take the cake out and let it cool off completely before you cut into it.