A savoury butternut cheesecake with sesame & cumin crust

Meet Warwick’s take on America’s pumpkin pie, and if it were a competition, this recipe may just win. It might sound unorthodox but creamy butternut cheesecake with a crispy cumin crust, paired with the spicy Warwick First Lady Red Blend could just be the most decadent thing you’ll make this winter.

Ingredients:

Makes: 1 x 22 cm cake | Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 65 mins | Serves: 12

For the crust
170 g whole wheat crackers
150 g butter, melted
5 ml ground cumin, toasted
100 g sesame seeds

For the cake
250 g ricotta, at room temperature
500 g medium fat creamed cheese, at room temperature
3 extra large eggs
5 ml sea salt
2.5 ml freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, roasted and mashed
500 ml cooked butternut puree
30 ml finely chopped chives
100 g toasted pumpkin seeds, to garnish
1 packet of crackers (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 250°C.
2. For the crust, blitz the crackers in a food processor until finely chopped, or crush the biscuits in
a plastic bag with a rolling pin.

3. Combine the crackers with the rest of the ingredients and press into a greased and lined 20 cm to 22 cm
springform pan.
4. To make the cheesecake filling, cream the ricotta and creamed cheese together in an electric mixer.
5. Add the eggs, salt, pepper, garlic, butternut puree and chives and mix until well combined.
6. Pour into the lined springform pan and place in the hot oven.
7. After 5 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 100°C and continue baking the for another hour, until
the cheesecake is cooked but still slightly wobbly in the centre.
8. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow the cheesecake to set further and cool in the tin.
9. Once cool, loosen the edges of the springform pan, and lift the cheesecake onto a serving plate.
10. To add an impressive touch, garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Serve slices of the cheesecake with crackers or as part of a cheeseboard.

Thanks to Warwick for sharing this recipe.