Candied Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Cream

CANDIED PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE WITH BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE CRUST AND MAPLE CREAM

adapted from Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2011

I didn’t line the pan with aluminum foil this time, though I usually do because it’s easier to lift and unmold cheesecakes with crumb crusts that way. Check this recipe if you want to line it.
I used butternut squash purée today.

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

For the pumpkin cheesecake:

10oz (285g) brown butter chocolate cookie dough, from this recipe

14oz (400g) cream cheese, room tº

½ cup light brown sugar

1 cup pumpkin or butternut squash pureé, canned or homemade **

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Few gratings fresh nutmeg

¼ cup cream

½ cup chopped candied pumpkin + extra for decoration

For the maple cream:

2/3 cup cream

3 Tbs pure maple syrup + extra for drizzling

Instructions

For the pumpkin cheesecake:

Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Line the bottom of an 9-inch (24cm) cake pan with removable bottom with foil if wanted.

On a lightly floured surface roll chocolate dough to ¼ inch thick. With the cake pan you’ll be using, mark the circle and cut it. Line bottom of pan with it and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until dry and a little puffed. Let cool on wire rack.

Turn down oven to 300ºF/150ºC.

In a large bowl beat cream cheese and sugar just until smooth.

Add pumpkin pureé, vanilla, eggs and yolk. Beat just until well combined.

Add cinnamon, nutmeg and cream. Mix to combine. Add candied pumpkin.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes. Turn oven off and let cool inside the unopened oven for 1 hour.

Let cool completely, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, transfer to serving plate, spread maple cream on top, and drizzle with extra syrup and candied pumpkin.

** I roast butternut squash or pumpkin at 350ºF until soft, scoop out the pulp and process it. If it has too much water I drain it on towel lined colander over a bowl for a few hours.

For the maple cream:

In a medium bowl, beat cream with maple syrup until thick. Be careful not to overbeat it so it doesn’t curdle.