Instructions

Making the Crust

Mix your graham cracker crumbs or digestives with butter and sugar in a bowl until all of the ingredients are mixed and moist. Then take this thick, sandy mixture and press it into the bottom of your 9” pan, making sure that it is evenly distributed. Place the pan on a baking tray in your preheated oven and allow to cook for approximately 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is a lovely golden brown color. Take out of the oven while you make the filling. (You need to use the baking tray, as some of the melted butter can seep out of the springform pan, and you don't want that all over the bottom of your oven!). Of course you could treat yourself to a leakproof one like the one below, which comes in red and other colours too! 

Making the Filling

Use your electric mixer to blend the sugar and cream cheese together using a low speed until they become a smooth, thick, creamy concoction. Slowly add, one at a time, your flour, pureed pumpkin, pumpkin spice, salt and vanilla extract, continuing to blend on a low speed until smooth again.

It is now time to mix in your eggs. Crack your eggs, and adding them to the mixture, blend each one in completely before adding the next.

(Tip – break each egg into a cup or bowl first. That way if you get a rotten one, you won't have tipped it straight into your precious pumpkiny cheesey mixture).

Take your lovely cheesecake base and gently pour your pumpkin cheesecake filling mix into the pan. Don't worry it is quite liquid. Move the pan on the baking sheet into the oven, reducing your heat from 350 to 300 degrees. (150 C).

Your cheesecake will need to bake for 45 minutes before turning the oven off. Leave the cheesecake inside the oven, undisturbed, for another 2 full hours before removing.

1. Once cooled and removed from oven, cover your cheese cake completely in the pan with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to firm for at least four more hours before removing from the pan, slicing and serving.