Fluffy pumpkin cheesecake

This time — a traditional Polish fluffy cheesecake, but with the addition of pumpkin purée and freshly grated orange zest. This fluffy pumpkin cheesecake is delicious, moist, and has a lovely subtle orange colour and flavour :). For an even deeper colour, use pumpkin with intensely orange flesh (such as Hokkaido squash); I used ready-made canned pumpkin purée. If you enjoy cheesecakes with a biscuit base, you can use classic petit beurre biscuits for the crust. A tall, beautiful and delicious cheesecake :).

Which pumpkin do I use for baking? In Poland, Hokkaido pumpkin works wonderfully for baking. In the UK, it is known as Red Kuri squash. It has a delicate flavour, slightly floury flesh and an intense orange colour. It is extremely versatile in the kitchen.

Ingredients for the fluffy pumpkin cheesecake:

• 1 kg curd cheese, ground three times
• 200 g butter
• 1 to 1⅓ cups caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 250 g pumpkin purée (well drained, not watery)*
• 1 packet vanilla sugar
• 100 ml double cream
• 4 tablespoons potato starch
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• finely grated zest of 1 orange

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks. In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat until light and creamy. Gradually add the ground cheese in three batches, mixing continuously. Add the pumpkin purée and mix until combined. Add the double cream, potato starch, plain flour and orange zest. Mix only until incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the cheesecake mixture using a spatula.

Pour the cheesecake batter into a 24 cm springform tin (or a larger one, such as 26 cm — in a 24 cm tin the batter will reach almost to the top). Smooth the surface.

Bake at 170°C, preferably without fan (top and bottom heat), for 75–90 minutes or until the cheesecake is fully baked. Leave to cool in the oven with the door slightly ajar. Remove the fluffy pumpkin cheesecake and leave to cool overnight at room temperature.

Dust with icing sugar before serving.

* You can use canned pumpkin purée or make your own — use a homemade pumpkin purée recipe. For this cheesecake, make sure to drain it very well!

Enjoy!