Discover a Creamy Autumn Cheesecake featuring Maple Pecan Brittle
Smooth, aromatic and perfectly sweetened, this pumpkin cheesecake captures harvest warmth. I’m not a fan of prepared pumpkin – the taste is bland and thin – so I prefer of roasting some butternut or Kent squash. Roasting brings out the inherent sugars removing excess moisture, yielding a deep, aromatic mash which adds authentic character. The maple pecan brittle provides the final flourish: golden, nutty and with just the right amount of crunch complementing the cheesecake’s creamy softness.
Autumn Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping
Prepare 200g pumpkin puree, dice a medium squash, peeled and seeded in sections, cook, with a cover, at 200C (180C fan) until soft but not browned. Process in a high-speed blender.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hr 45 min
Cool 1 hr
Chill 6 hr+
Serves 8-10
Base Ingredients
- 200g ginger nut biscuits
- melted butter, liquefied, with more for the tin
- sea salt
Cheesecake Mixture
- 500g cream cheese
- 150g caster sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- 200g pumpkin puree (see introduction)
- cornstarch
- cinnamon spice
- ginger powder
- freshly grated nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- tangy cream
- pure vanilla
Crunchy Finish
- pure maple syrup
- fine sugar
- 90g pecans, coarsely cut
- 1 large pinch flaky sea salt
- heavy cream
Set the oven to 365F coat the bottom and edges using a cake tin. Using a processor the ginger nuts into crumbs, transfer to a medium bowl. Mix in the salty butter, and mix coating the crumbs. Tip into the prepared pan, compact it well, bake for 10 minutes, take out and cool.
Reduce the setting to 175C (155C fan). Meanwhile, place the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer, whip with the paddle attachment on medium-low until well blended. Mix in the pumpkin puree, cornflour and spices, blend at low speed well mixed. Introduce the eggs individually, incorporating fully after each one, follow with the cream and extract, mix until fully incorporated.
Transfer the cheesecake mixture over the set base even the surface with a tool. Give it a gentle shake on a worktop to dispel any air bubbles, then heat the cheesecake on the middle rack until set until the edges are set and a soft center. Stop baking, keep the oven slightly open allowing it to cool for one hour. When cooled, cool in the fridge (or for days), until fully chilled.
While waiting, make the pecan brittle (ahead of time). Set the oven to 410F cover a tray with baking paper. Stir together the maple syrup and sugar in a pot and stir gently on low for about a minute. Add in the chopped pecans, then remove from the heat and scrape into the lined tray. Heat until golden, until golden and bubbly, then remove and leave to cool. After cooling completely, break into chunks place in a container chilled.
Open the cheesecake from its tin and transfer to a platter. Whisk the cream to soft peaks, then spoon on top of the cake leaving a 3-4cm border. Add the crunchy bits across the surface, offering more on the side.
