Discover a Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle

Silky, spiced and just sweet enough, this seasonal treat captures autumnal comfort. I avoid tinned pumpkin – it lacks depth and flavor – so I recommend of roasting fresh squash varieties. The oven’s heat brings out the sweet flavor removing extra liquid, resulting in a rich, tasty base which adds genuine complexity. Golden nut brittle adds the perfect finish: toasty, flavorful and offering a satisfying crisp to offset the smooth filling.

Autumn Cheesecake with Crunchy Pecan Topping

For 200g pumpkin puree, dice a medium squash, peeled and seeded into cubes, bake, with a cover, at 200C (180C fan) until tender without browning. Process using a powerful blender.

Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr 45 min
Cool 1 hr
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves 8-10

Crumb Crust

• gingersnap cookies
• 70g unsalted butter, liquefied, and some for coating
• sea salt

For the Filling

• soft cheese
• white sugar
• citrus peel
• homemade puree (see introduction)
• cornstarch
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• hint of cloves
• fresh eggs, warmed slightly
• tangy cream
• vanilla

Crunchy Finish

• maple sweetener
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• chopped pecans, in chunks
• a pinch of salt
• whipping cream

Heat the oven to 365F and lightly grease the entire interior of a 20cm round springform tin. In a food processor the biscuits until crumbly, place in a container. Mix in the melted butter and salt, and mix coating the crumbs. Transfer to the buttered container, press down firmly, cook briefly, set aside to cool.

Reduce the setting to 355F. Meanwhile, put the cheese, sweetener, and zest in the bowl of an electric mixer, then beat using the paddle on medium-low to a creamy texture. Add the spiced pumpkin mix, and beat gently until incorporated. Mix in eggs individually, mixing thoroughly after each one, follow with the tangy cream and flavoring, whip until fully incorporated.

Scoop the cheesecake mixture onto the prepared crust and smooth the top using a spatula. Lightly tap the pan on a worktop to remove bubbles, then heat the cake in the middle of the oven for about three-quarters of an hour with set edges and the centre is slightly wobbly. Turn off the oven, crack the door open and leave the cheesecake to cool for an hour. Once it’s at room temperature, refrigerate for 6+ hours (or longer), until firm.

In the meantime, prepare the brittle (ahead of time). Heat the oven to a high temperature cover a tray using liner. Mix the ingredients in a small saucepan and stir gently over a low heat until dissolved. Add in the nuts and salt, stop heating and spread on the tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until golden and bubbly, then remove and leave to cool. When fully hardened, cut roughly place in a sealed jar chilled.

Remove the dessert from the springform and transfer to a platter. Beat the cream until fluffy, then spoon on top of the cake leaving a 3-4cm border. Scatter most of the pecan brittle across the surface, offering more on the side.