Mont Blanc cheesecake

310 g shortbread or butter cookies
85 g butter, melted
pinch of sea salt

filling:
800 g cream cheese, room temperature
100 g muscovado sugar
130 g golden caster sugar
15 g cornstarch
4 medium eggs, room temperature
300 g pumpkin puree (about 600 g fresh, peeled and seeded pumpkin)*
130 g sweet cream (whipping cream)
1/2 vanilla pod, seeds
pinch of sea salt

top layer:
chestnut cream (creme de marrons)
150 ml sweet cream
vanilla



Heat the oven 160° C hot (top and bottom heating). Place the rack one level below the centre. Line the bottom of a 23 cm diameter cake pan with parchment paper.

Prepare the base. Process the cookies and seeds until they are quite fine, then place them in a bowl. Add the butter and salt, and mix. Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pan, making it about 3 mm thick. Make sure the corners are not too thick.

Prepare the filling. Place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl and beat at medium speed with a paddle attachment for 2 minutes. Add the sugars and starch. Whisk at medium speed with the paddle attachment for another 2 minutes, occasionally scraping down the sides, until the mixture is creamy. Continuing to whisk, add the eggs one at a time, beating each one until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides in between.

In a separate bowl, mix the pumpkin with the cream, spices and salt, and while the mixer is on low speed, add to the cream cheese mixture. Mix everything well on low speed, just until fully incorporated.

Pour the filling into the pan and bake for 20 minutes. Then lower t to 100 degrees and bake for 1 hour. turn off the oen and leave with door ajar inside for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature, and only then, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 12 hours at least.

Or you can bake all together 160 degrees for 1 hour for a more dense and yet perfect feeling. 

Before serving. Put the cheese in a bowl and whisk for 10 seconds to loosen it. Add half of the cream and vanilla, and whisk until it becomes a smooth cream. Add the rest of the sweet cream and beat until soft but firm peaks form. Spread or pipe it on the cake how you like it and decorate it. I like to add some dried orange on top. But you can add whatever you like. Serve.