Low Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake

[Sherrie]

This is a Nigella Lawson recipe from her book Feast, I used a different base as hers called for digestive biscuits. Instead I used the base for this recipe as my guide but I used less butter as I found it oily, I added a few tablespoons of dessicated/shredded coconut and then I added cinnamon as in Nigella's recipe. I also made my own pumpkin puree instead of using one out of a can. Not I stuffed mine up and cracked it as I found her temperature was too hot plus I also use a pan full of hot water at the bottom of the oven rather then her method. By 1 hour mine was cracked and browning, so I turned the oven off early. I thought I had ruined it but this is surprisingly good, I found the texture very creamy for a baked cheesecake. I made a vanilla cream (see notes below recipe) to go on top to mask my crack, the original recipe had no cream on top

You could add pumpkin spices if you wish but I find them too much.

I forgot to take a pic before so here is a pic of Ryan's piece today




Low Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake


Base:

1.5 cups of hazelnuts
2-3x 20ml tablespoons of butter, melted
9 splenda tabs or 9 teaspoons of splenda or equivalent
3 spoonfuls of dessicated/shredded coconut (this was last minute addition because I thought it needed it)
1/4 tsp cinnamon (I added a bit more but didn't measure)

Cheesecake:

420g/14.8oz Pureed Pumpkin * see notes below recipe
750g/26.5oz cream cheese
6 eggs
50 splenda tabs or 1 cup (I think I added less but can't remember so perhaps start with 3/4cup)
juice of 1/2 lemon.




Method

Crust:

Roast hazelnuts in single layer in oven for about 10mins at 180C/350C and rub skins off. Process nuts until just ground and add other dry ingredients followed by gradually adding butter to right consistency. Press onto base of a greased spring form pan and bake until it just starts to brown. Cool

Cheesecake:

Preheat oven to 170C/338F (I would lower this personally)

Soften the cream cheese then add pumpkin and blend. Add splenda then eggs one at a time mixing as you go. Scrape down and add lemon juice and mix until smooth being careful not to over mix and add air. Give it a tap and draw an s into the batter to try to burst any air bubbles.

Nigella then says to wrap outside of spring form pan with a couple of layers of cling wrap then sit on a layer of alfoil/tinfoil and wrap around edges to make it waterproof. Put pan in a roasting pan, pour cheesecake mixture into spring form pan and then add freshly boiled water to the roasting pan until about half way up.

Next wack in oven for 1 3/4 of an hour or until cheesecake is set with a little wobble in the centre. Remove from water bath and place on rack removing the alfoil at the same time and allow to cool before putting in the refrigerator.

Notes:

Pumpkin Puree

To make pumpkin puree simply roast half a pumpkin (with seeds etc removed) cut side buttered and facing down on a baking tray until soft (an hour or so). Remove pumpkin from skin and sit over a strainer for sometime to strain any excess liquid then puree.


Vanilla Cream

200ml/7oz of pure cream
splenda to taste (about 9-12 tablets or teaspoons)
Vanilla seed paste

Whip and spread over cool cheesecake and chill.

I find these cheesecake is even better after a couple of days

[Cazza]

OMG that looks delicious

You should open up a Low Carb Cafe

[LilRascal]

ohhh that is definately mouth watering sherrie!! last xmas my best friend came here and being half canadian offered to make me pumpkin pie,, it was surely different, that is for sure but so nice

Yum I so have to try this... not on induction of course!

[Meesheelly]

Not a fan of pumpkin. But that looks good.

[Sherrie]

I love pumpkin, particularly Jap. I had a spinach and pumpkin quiche last night

[sam68]

Looks very tasty so is this allowed during the weightloss phase of atkins?

[Sherrie]

Yes definitely but not induction because of the crust.

[sinders]

but you could make it without crust, imsuch a dessert person, love pumpkin pie, so would love this im sure