Recipes
Baked Butternut Squash Cheesecake
A warm, wintery, spiced cheesecake made with roasted butternut squash for a richer, more natural flavour. Topped with soft Chantilly cream and finished with crumbled biscuits for texture, it’s a cosy seasonal dessert that looks as good as it tastes.
Ingredients
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1 medium butternut squash (about 1–1.5 kg whole)
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400g soft cream cheese
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200g double cream
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400–450g roasted squash flesh (from the squash above)
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150g icing sugar
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¼ whole nutmeg, finely grated
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¼ tsp ground cinnamon
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¼ tsp ground ginger
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4 eggs
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200ml double cream (for Chantilly)
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1–2 tbsp icing sugar (for Chantilly)
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½ tsp vanilla extract (for Chantilly)
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A handful of biscuits (digestives, ginger nuts, or chocolate chip cookies) to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan). Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds, and place cut side down on a baking tray. Roast for 1 hour or until very soft.
Let cool slightly, then scoop out the soft flesh. Optional: simmer skins and seeds in water for a light squash stock.
Place the roasted squash flesh in a blender and blitz to a smooth purée. Add a splash of water if needed to blend.
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, double cream, icing sugar, and 400–450g of squash purée.
Grate over ¼ nutmeg, and add ¼ tsp each of ground cinnamon and ground ginger. Mix until smooth.
Add the eggs and mix until just combined.
Line a 20–23 cm round tin with baking paper. Pour in the cheesecake mixture.
Bake at 160°C for about 30 minutes, adjusting slightly depending on depth. The centre should still wobble slightly when done.
Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour to fully set.
To make Chantilly cream, whip double cream with icing sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
Slice the cheesecake and serve topped with a dollop of Chantilly cream and crumbled or whole biscuits.
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