Burnt Pumpkin Cheesecake

Step 01

To make pumpkin purée, heat the oven to 150C fan/gas 3½. Cut a pumpkin into quarters, scrape out the seeds and lay cut-side up on a lined baking tray. Roast for 2 hours until the skin is wrinkled and the flesh very soft. Cool, scrape the flesh off the skin and whizz in a food processor until smooth. Cook the purée in a pan over a low-medium heat for 15-20 minutes until thickened and slightly reduced, then cool. You should end up with about 600g purée for every 1kg pumpkin.

Step 02

Heat the oven to 200C fan/gas 7. Beat the cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides then add the pumpkin purée and beat until combined.

Step 03

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each, then add the yolks. Scrape down the sides then slowly add the cream until fully incorporated. Add the sugar, maple syrup, flours, vanilla, orange zest, salt and spices then mix again on low until well combined.

Step 04

Push the mixture through a fine sieve into a 22cm springform or loose-bottomed cake tin lined with 2 strips of baking paper in a cross with a 5cm overhang. Bake for 50-60 minutes until the cheesecake has a deep burnished tan colour and retains a bit of a wobble in the middle. Leave to cool completely in the tin then chill, ideally overnight, before turning out onto a serving plate.

Step 05

Serve the cheesecake with lightly whipped cream, dusted with extra cinnamon if you like.