Pumpkin and Cheese Cake is a deliciously unique dessert that blends the sweet flavors of pumpkin with the creamy richness of fresh cheese.
Ingredients:
For the crust:
- 250 g crushed cookies
- 50 g ground hazelnuts
- 50 g ground poppy seeds
- 50 g brown sugar
- 60 g melted butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 5 tablespoons water
For the filling:
- 300 g fresh cheese
- 220 g sugar
- Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
- 400 g pumpkin puree
- 5 eggs
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- A pinch of salt
For the caramel sauce:
- 250 g sugar
- 5 dl heavy cream
Instructions for making the pumpkin puree:
Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Cut the pumpkin in half or into pieces, remove the seeds, and bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes until soft. While still warm, scoop out the softened flesh from the skin. Use an immersion blender to puree the pumpkin and let it cool before using.
For the cake:
Line a 24 cm round cake pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Mix all the ingredients for the crust well. The mixture will be relatively dry, but don’t worry about it. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan with your fingers to make it as even as possible. Bake for about 10 minutes, then remove it to cool.
Use a mixer to beat the cheese, sugar, and vanilla seeds. Add the pumpkin puree, then add the eggs one at a time. Mix in the flour, spices, and salt. Pour the mixture over the baked and cooled crust, then bake everything together at 180°C for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Let the cake cool for an hour at room temperature, then refrigerate it.
For the caramel sauce:
Place the sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan and melt it until it turns a golden yellow color. Carefully pour the heavy cream into the hot caramel (be very cautious as the caramel will splatter). Continue cooking until the caramel dissolves and you get a medium-thick sauce.
