#SamLikesItHot: Spiced pumpkin coconut cheesecake

MANILA, Philippines – You didn’t think I was gonna skip dessert for our pumpkin extravaganza, did you? My monster sweet tooth would be appalled!

Pumpkin’s natural sweetness makes it a perfect candidate for dessert and you don’t have to do much with it, either. I remember being served a wedge of steamed pumpkin for dessert once and all that was needed for it to cross over to dessert territory was a generous drizzling of honey. It was delicious and satisfying.

Today’s spiced pumpkin coconut cheesecake is only slightly more complicated than that. No, really! It sounds fancy but it’s really easy to put together and in the end you’re even supposed to forget about it.

For something that requires very little work, the flavors are wonderful. You’ll almost feel bad about how everyone will be so impressed! (evil grin)

Let’s get started with the crust by using:

• ¾ cup crushed graham crackers
• ¾ cup crushed gingersnaps (8 cookies)
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 2 T sugar

1. Preheat your oven to 175 C/350 F. Crush the gingersnaps in a food processor or by pounding them while inside a plastic bag. I used my mortar and pestle just because I like to use them every chance I get.

When done, place the crushed graham crackers in a medium bowl. Add sugar and melted butter. Mix everything thoroughly until the mixture resembles moist sand.

Naturally, I had to bring a couple of the gingersnaps to my mouth while I was getting all this done and I have to say that they are terribly underrated. Gingersnaps are so yummy! I plan to show them lots of love from now on.

2. Empty your bowl into a 9-inch springform pan. Flatten and smoothen the crust mixture with a spoon and distribute evenly. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

Keep an eye on your crust and set aside to cool when done as we move on to the cake mixture.

It is crucial that all following ingredients are at room temperature:

• 2 8 oz. bars of cream cheese
• 3 T sugar
• 1 cup coconut cream
• ½ cups milk
• 1 ½ cups spiced pumpkin puree (usually labeled ‘pumpkin pie’ in can)
• 2 eggs
• 3 T all-purpose flour
• About 2 T melted butter for greasing

1. Add cream cheese, sugar, coconut cream and milk into a large bowl and gently whisk just until everything is mixed together. Switch to a wooden spoon or spatula and stir in spiced pumpkin puree and eggs. Finish with flour.

I initially wanted to do this with plain pumpkin puree but my grocery store only had the spiced kind. In hindsight, I’m glad because this turned out delicious but I also wonder what fruit flavors I could have played with if I made a non-spiced cake. (In my head, you either go spiced or fruity but not both.)

Conversely, if you find that only the plain puree is available, you can always spice it yourself.

2. Grease the sides of your spingform pan with melted butter. Pour the cake mixture into the pan.
Your oven should still be going at 175 C/350 F. Fill a baking tray with about ½ an inch of water and place this under the rack where your springform pan will go. This is called a water bath or bain marie.

Bake for 1 hour.

3. Now this is the part where you’re supposed to forget about the cake. The cheesecake needs to cool gradually to prevent cracks and the best way to do that is, yes, to forget about it for at least 4 hours!

I say you pop this in the oven with the timer set for 1 hour, go to bed and wake up to cheesecake. But then again, you might miss the heavenly aroma of pumpkin pie spice and coconut wafting through your entire house and that would be a crying shame.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. To drive home the coconut-y point, I chose to give my slice a sprinkling of sweetened coconut flakes.

This cheesecake manages to be dense and quite light at the same time, with the flavors of tangy cream cheese, rich coconut and spicy pumpkin all present. Don’t forget the gingersnap crust — a tasty complement to the spiced cheesecake!

Although this is a Halloween-inspired take on cheesecake, I think it would also make a different and delightful addition to your holiday celebrations. Zero trick, all treat! – Rappler.com

Check out our other recipes:

• #SamLikesItHot: Pumpkin and walnut tart
• #SamLikesItHot: The Bomb-kin
• #SamLikesItHot: Pumpkin and sausage lasagna
• #SamLikesItHot: Choco-hazelnut cupcakes with Horlicks mud
• #SamLikesItHot: Seafood laksa

Sam Oh is a professional TV and events host, radio jock and foodie. Catch her on radio at First Thing In The Morning with Sam and Gibb on Magic 89.9, Monday to Thursday, 6am to 9am. She is also a food blogger. If you have questions or recipe requests, email desk@rappler.com with subject heading SAM LIKES IT HOT.