Pumpkin cheesecake

From today, this is my favourite pumpkin cheesecake. Simply perfect! If you’ve never baked a cheesecake with pumpkin purée before, this will be your go-to recipe. If you like, you can use nut biscuits for the base and sprinkle toasted walnuts or pecans on top. It’s wonderfully aromatic, full of autumn spices, and its flavour will truly surprise you.

Which pumpkin is best for baking? In Poland, Hokkaido pumpkin works beautifully; in the UK it’s known as Red Kuri squash. It has a delicate flavour, a slightly floury texture and an intense orange colour, making it perfect for baking.

Ingredients for the base:

• 250 g ginger biscuits
• 80 g butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice

Place the biscuits, spice and melted butter in a food processor and blitz until the mixture resembles wet sand. If you don’t have a processor, place the biscuits in a sturdy bag and crush with a rolling pin, then mix with the melted butter and spice.

Line the base of a 23 cm springform tin with baking parchment. Press the biscuit mixture firmly into the base and halfway up the sides. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Wrap the outside of the tin twice with aluminium foil – the cheesecake will be baked in a water bath.**

Ingredients for the cheesecake filling:

• 750 g full-fat curd cheese (or cream cheese), triple ground if using curd cheese
• 250 g mascarpone
• 3 eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons potato starch (or cornflour)
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 190 g caster sugar
• 425 g pumpkin purée*
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place all the filling ingredients in the bowl of a mixer and beat just until combined. Do not overmix, as incorporating too much air will cause the cheesecake to rise and then sink.

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Pour the filling over the chilled base and smooth the top. Place in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 150°C. Bake in a water bath** for about 1 hour 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Chill in the fridge for several hours, preferably overnight. Decorate with whipped cream and slice using a sharp knife dipped briefly in hot water and wiped dry.

To decorate:

• 120 ml double cream, chilled
• 2 teaspoons icing sugar

Whip the cream until stiff, adding the icing sugar at the end.

* You can use canned pumpkin purée or make your own – it’s very simple.

** Water bath method: place the wrapped springform tin inside a larger roasting tin and pour boiling water around it to halfway up the sides. The steam ensures even baking, prevents cracks and gives the cheesecake its perfectly creamy texture.

Enjoy!