Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake with Shortbread Base

Ingredients

For the Shortbread Base:

• 50g unsalted butter (approx. 3 ½ tbsp.)
• 55g light brown sugar (approx. ¼ cup)
• 90g all-purpose flour (approx. ¾ cup)
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

For the Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake:

• 150g granulated sugar (approx. ¾ cup)
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 450g room temperature cream cheese (roughly 2 packages)
• 2 room temperature eggs
• 110g room temperature heavy whipping cream (approx. ½ cup)
• 1 tsp. vanilla essence
• 110g pumpkin puree (approx. ½ cup)
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Method

Shortbread Base:

1. Set the oven to 325°F (160°C).
2. Melt butter in a bowl and stir in the sugar, flour, salt, and pumpkin pie spice, forming a consistent dough.
3. Firmly pat this dough onto the base of a springform pan. Bake this for 10 minutes and then prepare the cheesecake mix.

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake:

1. In a sizable bowl (or use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment), combine the cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch. Whisk until it achieves a smooth texture, roughly 2 minutes.
2. Incorporate the eggs into the cream cheese mixture, blending at a low speed just until they're fully integrated.
3. Mix in the heavy cream and vanilla, blending briefly to get a smooth batter.
4. Extract 1 ¼ cups of this batter, placing it into another bowl. To this portion, stir in the pumpkin puree and spice until the mix is uniform and streak-free.
5. Alternate in pouring the standard and pumpkin batters over the pre-baked shortbread base. For the swirled effect, reserve some pumpkin batter and first pour a vanilla layer on top. Drop spoonfuls of the reserved pumpkin batter onto this and delicately swirl using a knife.
6. Tap the pan a couple of times on a surface to release trapped air.
7. Fill a 9x13-inch dish or 9-10 inch cake pan up to one-third with hot water. Optionally, encircle the springform pan's bottom with foil to prevent potential leaks. Position the cheesecake pan inside the larger dish with water.
8. Bake for about 60-70 minutes. The cheesecake should have a slight jiggle but register at least 170°F (76°C) internally.
9. Once done, power off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside with the door slightly open for 1 hour. Afterward, refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours.
10. Once set, carve into slices, serve, and relish!