NOVEMBER 25TH, 2008
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Now here’s a powerhouse conglomorate that I can feel good about: the dairy products of Ronnybrook conjoined with the organic goodness of Kira (Evolutionary Organics)’s squash. Traditionally concocted with pumpkin, this recipe let me explore the lively “sunshine kabocha” I’d been eyeing all fall. Using yogurt cheese instead of cream cheese meant a slightly sour flavor, making the cake more savory than sweet.
For those of you still puzzled on how to cook squash, you can see it’s as simple as cutting in in half, deseeding it, and setting it in an oven at 350-400*F. Yes: delicious, hot flesh awaits you within the hour. These Futsu Black and Sunshine Kabocha cooked quickly, and while I gnoshed on the baked skins, the “meat” went into the following recipe in place of a canned pumpkin puree.
For the Crust:
1 cup (100 grams) graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cups (50 grams) finely ground ginger cookies, homemade or store-bought
1 tablespoon (15 grams) granulated white sugar
4 – 5 tablespoons (56 – 60 grams) unsalted butter, melted
…And for the Cheesecake:
2/3 cup (145 grams) light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound (454 grams) cream cheese or yogurt cheese, room temperature
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup pureed winter squash
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Grease your pan (8″ is standard; I used two smaller cheesecake pans).
For Crust: In a medium sized bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, finely ground ginger snap cookies, sugar, and melted butter. Press the mixture onto the bottom of the prepared spring form pan. Cover and refrigerate while you make the cheesecake filling.
For Cheesecake: In a separate bowl, stir to combine the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), on low speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth (about 2 minutes). Gradually add the sugar mixture and beat until creamy and smooth (1 to 2 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (about 30 seconds) after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the vanilla extract and pureed winter squash.
Pour the filling over the chilled ginger crust and place the spring form pan on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Place a cake pan, filled halfway with hot water, on the bottom shelf of your oven to moisten the air. Bake the cheesecake for 30 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue to bake the cheesecake for another 10 – 20 minutes, or until the edges of the cheesecake are puffed but the center is still wet and jiggles when you gently shake the pan.
Loosen the cake from the pan by running a sharp knife around the inside edge (this will help prevent the cake from cracking). Then place a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pan so the cheesecake will cool slowly. When completely cooled, cover and refrigerate at least eight hours, preferably overnight, before serving.
This recipe in an 8″ pan serves 10-12 people.