No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 220 g Oreo cookies
• 100 g unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
• 750 g cream cheese (softened)
• 300 g white chocolate (melted)
• 225 g pumpkin puree (see notes)
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice (see notes)
• 250 g heavy cream (cold)
• 150 g mascarpone (see notes)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Orange fondant
• Brown fondant
• Green fondant
• Cocoa powder
• Crushed Oreos

Method

1. Prepare springform - Unclasp an 8-inch (20cm) springform pan and line the bottom with baking paper. Tightly clasp the sides back on.
2. Crush cookies - Add the Oreos to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until you reach fine crumbs. Alternatively, you can add the cookies to a large zip lock bag and crush using a rolling pin. Pour the butter into the crumbs and pulse or mix until the crumbs are coated and resemble wet soil. When squeezed together in your hand it should come together, kind of like a cookie.
3. Form the crust - Pour the mixture into the lined pan and use the back of a spoon to firmly press into the bottom of the pan. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
4. Melt chocolate - Begin by melting the chocolate in a heatproof bowl in the microwave. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time until melted. You can also do this using the double boiling method. Set aside to cool slightly.
5. Beat cream cheese - To a large mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese and mix using an electric hand mixer until creamy. Add the slightly cooled chocolate and mix until well combined. Add the mascarpone cheese, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract and beat until well combined.
6. Whip cream - To a separate medium sized bowl add the cream and whip until you reach stiff peaks.
7. Fold ingredients together - Transfer the whipped cream to the cheesecake mixture. Use a spatula to fold through until well combined.
8. Chill to set - Transfer the mixture to the chilled cake tin and spread around evenly using a spoon. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours to set.
9. To make the pumpkin decorations, roll out 10 different sized orange fondant balls in the palm of your hands. Use a knife or fondant tool to indent lines around the sides of the pumpkins. Use a chopstick (or something similar) to poke a hole at the top of each pumpkin. Roll out a little piece of brown fondant for the stalk and lightly wet the end of it using water and a food safe brush. Insert it into the top of each pumpkin. Use your hands to roll out long, thin vines of green fondant and curl at the top of each pumpkin. Use extra vines to decorate around the edges of the pumpkin patch. To give your pumpkins are more realistic look, lightly brush with a very small amount of cocoa powder using a food safe paint brush. To store pumpkins, wrap in plastic wrap and store for up to 2 weeks.
10. Carefully take the pumpkin cheesecake out of the springform pan. Sprinkle crushed Oreos on top and place pumpkins on top right before serving otherwise they will start to melt. Slice to serve.