sample from Cooking up Crap by Lissa Judd
Pumpkin cheesecake
This is like a cross between a pumpkin pie and a cheesecake. It is delicious. It’s not too sweet, and quite easy to make. A bit of limoncello in the whipped cream gives it a bit more pizzaz.
Pastry:
100g softened butter
1 cup sugar
zest of a lemon
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
2 cups plain flour
Beat the butter and sugar for ages with an electric beater - about 5 minutes, then gradually add the eggs with the beaters still running.
Add the lemon zest and stir it in.
Add the sifted flour - mix it in but don’t overwork the dough.
Wrap the dough in clingfilm and put in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 200o C
Filling:
1¼ - 1½ cups of cooked mashed pumpkin
500g cream cheese
¾ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs
zest of one lemon
Beat the cream cheese and sugar together.
Add the salt and spices, and lemon zest.
Beat in the eggs one at a time.
Add the cold mashed pumpkin and mix.
Take a 20cm fluted tart pan (with a removable bottom) - grease and lightly flour it.
Remove your pastry from the refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured board until it is about 25cm diameter. Wrap it loosely around your rolling pin so that you can transfer it to the tart pan. Press the dough gently into the curves of the pan, and cut off any excess dough hanging over the top.
If you have your filling all ready, stick it in your pastry base. If not - put the pan back into the refrigerator until you are ready.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 150oC and cook for another 30 minutes.
Leave it in the oven, with the door ajar to cool, and then put it in the refrigerator
Serve with whipped cream (best if it has some added sugar, and a splosh of Limoncello liqueur.