Pumpkin Cheesecake

This cheesecake is melt-in-your-mouth good, rich and impossible to stop eating. Just look at that perfect surface!

The recipe for this cheesecake comes from Preppy Kitchen (https://preppykitchen.com/pumpkin-swirl-cheesecake/). I made this initially out of spiteful annoyance at a coworker, and I brought it in to work when he was not there.

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

Thirteen/200g Graham Crackers

4 tbsp/56g unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup/24g granulated sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

For the Cheesecake:

2lbs/1kg cream cheese, at room temperature

Pinch salt

1 cup/200g granulated sugar

3/4 cup/150g dark brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

5 eggs large, room temperature

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup/225g pumpkin purée

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp cardamom

Instructions:

For the Crust:

Preheat oven to 350˚F/180˚C.

Source a 9” springform or similar pan.

I use my trusty silicone one.

Add Graham crackers to your food processor and pulse until broken into small pieces.

Or just smash them in a plastic bag with a rolling pin/pint glass/rock.

Put the graham cracker crumbs in a bowl, and mix in the sugar and cinnamon.

Pour in melted butter and mix in completely.

Transfer mixture to your pan and press into a flat layer using a measuring cup or glass.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until fragrant and a darker golden colour.

Remove from oven, set aside and reduce oven temperature to 300˚F/150˚C.

For the Filling:

Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth, c. 3 minutes.

Add both sugars and the salt to the bowl and mix on medium until creamy.

Scrape bowl down and mix until completely homogenous.

Add eggs and yolks one at a time, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next.

Scrape the bowl down and mix a few seconds more until smooth.

Sprinkle in the four and mix in.

Add the pumpkin puree, sour cream, spices, and vanilla and mix until incorporated.

Scrape the bowl down one last time and make sure everything is smooth.

Wrap the bottom of your pan in aluminium foil, and then do it again, making sure to bring the foil at least 2” up the sides.

Boil a kettle.

Pour the cheesecake batter into the pan.

Place springform pan into a large roasting pan.

Fill with very hot or boiling water from the kettle a little over an inch deep.

Bake for about 60 minutes or until cake is set but centre is wobbly.

Turn oven off but leave door closed and allow cake to rest for an additional hour in the oven.

Remove from oven and cool to room temperature then cover with a towel or paper towel and chill overnight.

Just look at that perfect surface!

Run a knife around edge of cake before releasing from pan. Garnish how you want, or don't.