Pumpkin cheesecake squares with oat and pecan crumble

Another delicious way to use pumpkin – and this time, there’s something for everyone in this cake :). The star of the show is, of course, the pumpkin cheesecake – a definite winner for all cheesecake lovers. Fans of buttery, crumbly bakes will love the crisp base made with oats and nuts (try not to eat too much of it before baking, because it really is delicious!). Together, they make an exceptionally good combination. With just a little pumpkin, a pinch of ginger and a light touch, you can create a cake you’ll look forward to making every autumn. It’s beautifully golden and sunny too – just like a Polish golden autumn…

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

Ingredients for the base:

• 1 cup plain flour
• ½ cup soft light brown sugar
• 115 g butter, chilled and cut into pieces
• a pinch of salt
• 1 cup pecans or walnuts
• ¾ cup rolled oats

Place the first four ingredients in a food processor and blitz until you have coarse crumbs. You can also make the dough by hand, chopping the ingredients together with a knife. Add the nuts and pulse briefly, or chop them finely. Add the oats and blitz until the mixture starts to form moist clumps.

Set aside 1 cup of the crumbs. Press the remaining mixture into the base of a 23 × 23 cm square tin lined with baking paper. Pre-bake at 180°C for approximately 15 minutes, until lightly golden.

Spread the reserved crumbs over a flat baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake at 180°C for approximately 5 minutes, stirring from time to time, until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, prepare the pumpkin cheesecake filling.

Ingredients for the pumpkin cheesecake filling:

• 225 g full-fat cream cheese, such as Philadelphia (or semi-fat curd cheese, ground three times)
• ¾ cup pumpkin purée*
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth. Pour over the warm base. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the filling is set in the centre and the edges begin to puff up slightly.

Ingredients for the topping:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp sugar
• a few drops of vanilla extract

Mix all the ingredients together, then spread evenly over the hot cake. Return to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Once cool, sprinkle over the baked crumbs, pressing them gently into the filling. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, then cut into squares.

Enjoy!

Recipe source: Bon Appétit magazine.