
The recipe also contains pureed cooked pumpkin. If you do not have fresh pumpkin you can use the canned kind, or simply skip it substituting it with the same amount of pureed cooked potatoes. As all recipes I know, this one is also subject to changes and alterations driven by brave imagination without which cooking or baking are not art anymore.
Base:
2 cups (500 ml) cracker crumbs
1/2 cup (125 ml) ground nuts
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp melted butter
Mix together above ingredients and pat into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan lined with baking paper. Brush sides with some melted butter and sprinkle them with ground cinnamon too.
Mix 2 or 3 tbsp of rose petals in sugar with one cup (250 ml) of good homemade strawberry or cherry jam and gently spread the mixture on cracker crumbs base. It requires some skill and patience not to demolish the surface of the powdery layer but believe me, it is achievable.
Preheat oven to 350F (180C)
Cheese filling:
2 cups (500 ml) cream cheese
1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
2 tbsp liquid honey
1 cup (250 ml) pureed cooked pumpkin, fresh or canned
3 big eggs
1 cup (250ml) sour cream
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp grapefruit zest
2-3 tbsp lemon juice
In a large bowl beat eggs with sugar and honey until light and fluffy. Add flour, one spoon at a time, mix well and slowly beat in cream cheese. Scrape sides and beat in pumpkin, sour cream, vanilla, grapefruit zest, and lemon juice. Pour cheese filling into base. Bake cake in centre of oven for 1 hour. Turn off heat and leave oven door ajar for 45 minutes or 1 hour letting cake sit in it. Chill for at least 2-3 hours more and then remove from pan. Decorate with strawberry sauce mixed with rose petals in sugar. Serves 10.
The cheesecake while in the oven always rises in order to fall a little right after the baking ends. It is normal and should not be worried about. My experience says that it tastes best on the second or third day after baking, but my other experience adds, it is hardly possible to resist the temptation.