Description
A dead simple, no-bake pumpkin cheesecake for Harvest Festivals and Thanksgiving alike.
Ingredients
Scale
- Crust:
- 1 250g packet ginger biscuits, blended to yield 2 cups fine crumbs
- Zest of 1/2 small orange (or tangerine)
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter, melted
- Filling:
- 300g light cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups peeled, steamed and drained pumpkin (or other sweet squash), blended to yield 1 cup (240 ml) purée
- 1/4 cup (60g) brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- Pinch allspice
- Pinch ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) double cream
- Topping:
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) double cream
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of 1/2 small orange/tangerine
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- Make the crust by mixing the biscuit crumbs with the zest and butter and pressing into a 10-inch (25cm) pie tin. Chill while you make the filling.
- Mix the cream cheese with the pumpkin, sugar and spices until well-blended.
- In a separate bowl, whip the cream with the vanilla into firm peaks, then gently fold into the pumpkin mixture.
- Spoon filling into chilled crust, spread evenly and chill overnight.
- Just prior to serving, whip the cream and vanilla for your topping and pipe it onto the cheesecake to make a decorative pattern. Sprinkle with lemon and/or orange zest and serve.
Notes
1. I have been asked if this tastes much like pumpkin pie and the answer is yes. It tastes enough like the ‘real’ thing to satisfy traditionalists, but is different enough that I’m happy eating it. It’s essentially a fresher, milder and zingier version of what you might be used to.
2. If you are lucky enough to live in a country where ‘Speculaas’ (or similar) biscuits are available, use those for the crust instead – amazing. If you can’t find them, or ginger biscuits, blend up some gingerbread men, or else use graham crackers and add a pinch of powdered ginger and nutmeg.
- Prep Time: 30 mins