Indulge in this Smooth Pumpkin Cheesecake featuring Crunchy Maple Pecans
Velvety, flavorful and just sweet enough, this delightful dessert embodies autumnal comfort. I’m not a fan of canned puree – it lacks depth and flavor – so I’ve taken the extra step of roasting your own pumpkin. Roasting coaxes out its natural sweetness removing excess moisture, resulting in a deep, aromatic mash that gives the cheesecake real depth. A crunchy pecan topping provides the final flourish: caramelized, rich and offering a satisfying crisp to offset the cheesecake’s creamy softness.
Autumn Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle
To make about one cup of puree, dice 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin into chunks, then roast, lightly covered, at 200C (180C fan) until tender without browning. Puree in a high-speed blender.
Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr 45 min
Cool 1 hour
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves 8 to 10
For the Base
- spiced biscuits
- 70g unsalted butter, liquefied, plus extra for greasing
- sea salt
Cheesecake Mixture
- soft cheese
- white sugar
- citrus peel
- homemade puree (as described above)
- cornstarch
- cinnamon spice
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- clove spice
- 2 large eggs, warmed slightly
- tangy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Pecan Garnish
- pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 90g pecans, roughly chopped
- sea salt flakes
- 150ml double cream
Heat the oven at a moderate heat coat the base and sides with a springform pan. Using a processor the ginger nuts into crumbs, transfer to a container. Incorporate the salty butter, stir until moistened. Transfer to the prepared pan, press down firmly, bake for 10 minutes, then remove and leave to cool.
Lower the heat to 355F. In the meantime, place the cheese, sweetener, and zest into a mixer bowl, whip on low speed on medium-low until well blended. Mix in the spiced pumpkin mix, and beat gently until incorporated. Introduce the eggs separately, beating in well after each one, then add the soured cream and vanilla, mix until combined.
Scoop the spiced cream onto the prepared crust even the surface with a small spatula. Lightly tap the pan on the counter to dispel any air bubbles, then bake the cheesecake on the middle rack for about three-quarters of an hour until the edges are set and the centre is slightly wobbly. Switch off the heat, keep the oven slightly open allowing it to cool for an hour. Once it’s at room temperature, chill for at least six hours (or longer), until firm.
In the meantime, create the topping (in advance). Set the oven to a high temperature cover a tray with parchment. Stir together the ingredients over heat and stir gently gently for about a minute. Stir in the chopped pecans, stop heating and scrape into the lined tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until crisp, take out and cool. Once the brittle is completely hard, chop into irregular pieces keeping in a sealed jar chilled.
Remove the cheesecake from the pan place on a serving dish. Beat the cream to a light consistency, then spoon on top of the cake leaving space around. Add the crunchy bits on top, with additional brittle for serving.
