Spicy Pumpkin Cheesecake...

I had hoped to get this cheesecake out of the oven in time for Halloween, but alas... there wasn't a pumpkin to found in the entire city! Once supply and demand had caught up with each other,  I finally got hold of the perfect pumpkin and created something quite lovely from it.
A lighter and more subtle version of the traditional pumpkin pie.
I suggest you try out the ginger snap base, but of course a digestive base would suffice! 

The ingredients...

250g ginger snap biscuits
65g butter

340g cooked and mashed pumpkin (steamed if possible)

100g brown sugar

125g caster sugar

450g cream cheese

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

4 eggs

Oven set at 170 C.

Grease the sides of a spring-form tin and line the bottom with baking paper.
Crush the ginger snaps fairly well, add in the melted butter and press firmly into the tin. Bake for  5-7 minutes and put aside.
Beat together the cream cheese and both sugars, then add the pumpkin and spices. Beat the eggs separately and fold into the mix. Pour onto the base, give it little shake to get rid if bubbles and even it out.
Bake in the centre of your oven for 90 minutes (but as all ovens are unique, it pays to check on it after 75 - 80 minutes). You're looking for firm edges and a slightly wobbly centre. If it begins to brown to much before its ready, cover the top with tin foil.
Leave in the oven with the door open. Once completely cooled, put in the fridge.
Serve with a decent dollop of whipped cream.

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