Discover a Smooth Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle
Velvety, flavorful and perfectly sweetened, this delightful dessert is a celebration of harvest warmth. I skip canned puree – it lacks depth and flavor – so I’ve taken the extra step of roasting some butternut or Kent squash. Roasting enhances the sweet flavor while evaporating excess moisture, yielding a rich, tasty base that gives the cheesecake authentic character. The maple pecan brittle completes the dessert: golden, nutty and providing a textural contrast to offset the cheesecake’s creamy softness.
Autumn Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle
For the pumpkin base, cut 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin in sections, bake, with a cover, in a hot oven cooked through but not colored. Process in a high-speed blender.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hr 45 min
Cool 1 hour
Chill 6 hr+
Serves about 10 people
Crumb Crust
- gingersnap cookies
- 70g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- sea salt
Creamy Layer
- soft cheese
- white sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- squash mash (as described above)
- 2 tsp cornflour
- cinnamon spice
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- fresh eggs, at room temperature
- 100ml soured cream
- vanilla
Pecan Garnish
- pure maple syrup
- fine sugar
- 90g pecans, in chunks
- 1 large pinch flaky sea salt
- whipping cream
Heat the oven to 185C (165C fan) coat the bottom and edges of a 20cm round springform tin. In a food processor the biscuits until crumbly, place in a container. Add the melted butter and salt, combine until moistened. Place in the buttered container, even it out, cook briefly, then remove and leave to cool.
Turn down the setting to 355F. In the meantime, place the cheese, sweetener, and zest in a stand mixer, whip on low speed on medium-low to a creamy texture. Mix in the spiced pumpkin mix, and beat at low speed until combined. Introduce the eggs separately, incorporating fully between each addition, then add the tangy cream and flavoring, and beat until smooth.
Scoop the spiced cream on to the set base even the surface with a tool. Tap the tin gently on the counter to dispel any air bubbles, then heat the cake in the middle of the oven for about three-quarters of an hour with set edges and a soft center. Stop baking, keep the oven slightly open allowing it to cool for one hour. Once it’s at room temperature, chill for at least six hours (or for days), until fully chilled.
While waiting, make the pecan brittle (in advance). Set the oven to 210C (190C fan) and line a small oven tray with baking paper. Combine the ingredients over heat mixing on low briefly. Add in the pecans and sea salt, stop heating and scrape into the lined tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until caramelized, set aside. When fully hardened, chop into irregular pieces place in a container in the freezer.
Release the cheesecake from the springform move to a plate. Whisk the cream to a light consistency, then place on top of the cake leaving space around. Scatter most of the pecan brittle across the surface, offering more on the side.
