Discover this Smooth Autumn Cheesecake with Crunchy Maple Pecans
Smooth, aromatic and perfectly sweetened, this seasonal treat is a celebration of harvest warmth. I avoid canned puree – it lacks depth and flavor – so I’ve taken the extra step baking fresh squash varieties. Baking brings out the inherent sugars and reduces unwanted water, yielding a smooth, flavourful puree that gives the cheesecake authentic character. Golden nut brittle completes the dessert: golden, nutty and providing a textural contrast to offset the cheesecake’s creamy softness.
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle
To make the pumpkin base, dice fresh pumpkin pieces into chunks, cook, lightly covered, in a hot oven until tender without browning. Process using a powerful blender.
Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 1 hour
Chill overnight
Serves 8 to 10
For the Base
- 200g ginger nut biscuits
- melted butter, liquefied, and some for coating
- a pinch of salt
Cheesecake Mixture
- soft cheese
- 150g caster sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- homemade puree (see introduction)
- thickener
- aromatic cinnamon
- warm ginger
- freshly grated nutmeg
- clove spice
- fresh eggs, warmed slightly
- sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Maple Pecan Brittle Topping
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 90g pecans, in chunks
- 1 large pinch flaky sea salt
- whipping cream
Preheat your oven to 185C (165C fan) then butter the bottom and edges with a springform pan. In a food processor the biscuits until crumbly, transfer to a medium bowl. Mix in the butter and salt, stir coating the crumbs. Transfer to the buttered container, press down firmly, heat until set, then remove and leave to cool.
Turn down the setting to 355F. Meanwhile, place the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest into a mixer bowl, mix on low speed at a gentle pace to a creamy texture. Add the puree, thickener, and seasonings, and beat on medium-low well mixed. Introduce the eggs separately, incorporating fully between each addition, then add the soured cream and vanilla, and beat until fully incorporated.
Transfer the cheesecake mixture over the cooled biscuit base even the surface with a tool. Lightly tap the pan on a worktop to remove bubbles, then cook the cheesecake in the middle of the oven until set until the edges are set and the centre is slightly wobbly. Turn off the oven, crack the door open allowing it to cool for 60 minutes. Once it’s at room temperature, cool in the fridge (or longer), until completely set.
In the meantime, prepare the brittle (in advance). Preheat the oven to 410F and line a small oven tray with baking paper. Stir together the syrup and sweetener in a pot and stir gently over a low heat for about a minute. Add in the chopped pecans, then remove from the heat and scrape into the lined tray. Cook for 8 minutes, until crisp, then remove and leave to cool. Once the brittle is completely hard, break into chunks place in a sealed jar in the freezer.
Remove the cake from the springform place on a serving dish. Whip the cream until fluffy, then place on top of the cake leaving space around. Sprinkle the brittle over the top, with additional brittle for serving.
