Can I Make The Pumpkin Cheesecake Without A Food Processor?

Our answer

Nigella's Pumpkin Cheesecake (from FEAST) is made with pumpkin purée, which gives the cheesecake a lighter texture than some more traditional cheesecakes. It is also a nice alternative to pumpkin pie and easy to make without a food processor. For the crumb base, put the digestive biscuits into a freezer bag, seal tightly and crush with a rolling pin to fine crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and stir in the ground cinnamon. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir the melted butter into the the biscuit crumbs. Press the buttery crumbs on to the base of the springform pan.

We assume that you are making the cheesecke with canned pumpkin purée. In this case it is easy to make the cheesecake with a stand mixer and we suggest using the beater attachment. Put the pumpkin purée and cream cheese in the bowl of the mixer and mix on a low speed until smooth. Add the sugar and eggs and mix again on a medium to low speed until just combined. You could also do this with an electric hand mixer or even by hand with a wooden spoon and plenty of elbow grease. Try not to over beat the cheesecake batter or beat it on high speed, as this can add too much air and will affect the texture of the cooked cheesecake. Pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan and continue with the recipe.