Discover a Smooth Pumpkin Cheesecake with Crunchy Maple Pecans

Smooth, aromatic and not overly sugary, this pumpkin cheesecake embodies autumnal comfort. I’m not a fan of tinned pumpkin – the taste is bland and thin – so I recommend of roasting your own pumpkin. Roasting brings out its natural sweetness and reduces excess moisture, resulting in a deep, aromatic mash imparting authentic character. The maple pecan brittle completes the dessert: toasty, flavorful and offering a satisfying crisp to offset the smooth filling.

Autumn Cheesecake and Maple Pecan Brittle

Prepare the pumpkin base, dice 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin in sections, bake, lightly covered, at 390F cooked through but not colored. Process using a powerful blender.

Prep a brief 10 minutes
Cook 1 hr 45 min
Cool 1 hour
Chill 6 hr+
Serves about 10 people

Base Ingredients

• spiced biscuits
• melted butter, softened, and some for coating
• sea salt

For the Filling

• soft cheese
• 150g caster sugar
• citrus peel
• homemade puree (as described above)
• thickener
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• freshly grated nutmeg
• hint of cloves
• room-temperature eggs, at room temperature
• sour cream
• pure vanilla

For the Maple Pecan Brittle Topping

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

Heat the oven to 185C (165C fan) and lightly grease the entire interior of a 20cm round springform tin. Using a processor the biscuits to fine crumbs, then tip into a container. Add the melted butter and salt, and mix until moistened. Transfer to the buttered container, compact it well, heat until set, take out and cool.

Turn down the oven temperature to a lower temp. Meanwhile, put the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest in a stand mixer, whip using the paddle on medium-low until well blended. Add the spiced pumpkin mix, and beat at low speed until incorporated. Introduce the eggs separately, mixing thoroughly between each addition, then add the soured cream and vanilla, mix until smooth.

Pour the cheesecake mixture on to the prepared crust even the surface using a spatula. Tap the tin gently on a worktop to release trapped air, then cook the cheesecake centered in the oven for about three-quarters of an hour until the sides are firm with a jiggly middle. Switch off the heat, crack the door open and let it cool down for one hour. When cooled, refrigerate for 6+ hours (or for days), until firm.

Meanwhile, prepare the brittle (in advance). Preheat the oven to 210C (190C fan) and prepare a baking sheet with baking paper. Mix the syrup and sweetener over heat and stir gently on low for about a minute. Add in the nuts and salt, stop heating and scrape into the lined tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until caramelized, set aside. Once the brittle is completely hard, chop into irregular pieces keeping in a sealed jar frozen.

Release the cake from its tin and transfer to a platter. Beat the cream until fluffy, then add into the middle of the cheesecake with a clear edge. Add the crunchy bits over the top, with additional brittle for serving.