Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
A pumpkin cheesecake bar made with pumpkin puree, cream cheese, and a cookie base; the separated-egg method gives a smoother, more delicate texture.
Ingredients
Store-bought chocolate cookies (frosting removed, crushed into crumbs)
170 g
Unsalted butter (melted)
50 g
Pumpkin (peeled, sliced, steamed until tender, mashed while hot, and strained through a coarse sieve)
140 g
Cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
280 g
Powdered sugar (sifted)
25 g
Egg yolks
40 g
Egg whites
20 g
Unsalted butter (melted over a double boiler)
15 g
Heavy cream
25 g
Egg whites (for whipping the meringue)
60 g
Granulated sugar
40 g
Instructions
1
Make the Cookie Base
Melt the unsalted butter into a liquid, then stir it into the chocolate cookie crumbs until evenly combined. Spread the mixture evenly in a baking pan and press it down firmly. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2
Make the Cheese Batter
Once the cream cheese has softened, add the powdered sugar and stir over a double boiler until smooth and homogeneous. Add the egg yolks and 20 g of egg whites in order, mixing well after each addition. Add the pumpkin puree and continue beating with a whisk until uniform. Stir in the melted butter and heavy cream until well combined to make the pumpkin cheese batter.
3
Whip the Meringue
Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy. Add the granulated sugar and continue beating to about 70–80% stiff peaks: when the beaters are lifted, the meringue should hold a soft, drooping curl rather than dripping.
4
Fold and Bake
Gently fold the meringue into the pumpkin cheese batter with a rubber spatula until evenly combined, taking care not to deflate the mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared mold. After preheating the oven, place the baking pan on a rack set inside a deeper roasting pan and pour cold water into the roasting pan to a depth of about 1 cm. Steam-bake at top heat 180°C and bottom heat 100°C for about 15 minutes, until the surface sets. Then add 1 cup of cold water to the roasting pan and switch to top heat 140°C and bottom heat 100°C, continuing to bake for about 20 minutes, until the surface springs back lightly when pressed.
5
Chill, Unmold, and Slice
Allow the cake to cool to room temperature after baking, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours until fully set before unmolding. Run a knife around the edges to loosen the cake. Cover the surface with a sheet of parchment paper, place a second flat tray on top, and invert the cake out of the pan. Flip the cake right-side up again. Warm a knife with hot water and slice the cake into strips about 9.5 × 2.5 cm, yielding 16 pieces in total.
