Savor this Smooth Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle

Smooth, aromatic and just sweet enough, this seasonal treat embodies fall coziness. I avoid canned puree – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I prefer to roast some butternut or Kent squash. Baking coaxes out the inherent sugars while evaporating unwanted water, resulting in a deep, aromatic mash imparting genuine complexity. A crunchy pecan topping completes the dessert: caramelized, rich and offering a satisfying crisp complementing the smooth filling.

Autumn Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping

To make 200g pumpkin puree, chop fresh pumpkin pieces into chunks, bake, loosely covered, in a hot oven until soft but not browned. Blend using a powerful blender.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 1 hour
Chill overnight
Serves about 10 people

Base Ingredients

• 200g ginger nut biscuits
• 70g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• a pinch of salt

Cheesecake Mixture

• soft cheese
• fine sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 200g pumpkin puree (see introduction)
• thickener
• aromatic cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• nutmeg
• hint of cloves
• room-temperature eggs, warmed slightly
• 100ml soured cream
• vanilla

Pecan Garnish

• pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 90g pecans, in chunks
• sea salt flakes
• 150ml double cream

Preheat your oven to 365F coat the entire interior of a 20cm round springform tin. Using a processor the cookies into crumbs, place in a medium bowl. Mix in the butter and salt, and mix until moistened. Transfer to the prepared pan, even it out, heat until set, set aside to cool.

Lower the setting to 355F. In the meantime, put the base ingredients into a mixer bowl, then beat using the paddle slowly until well blended. Incorporate the puree, thickener, and seasonings, and beat gently until combined. Mix in eggs separately, beating in well between each addition, next include the cream and extract, and beat until fully incorporated.

Pour the cheesecake mixture onto the set base even the surface with a small spatula. Give it a gentle shake on a surface to dispel any air bubbles, then cook the dessert on the middle rack until set until the sides are firm with a jiggly middle. Turn off the oven, crack the door open allowing it to cool for one hour. When cooled, chill for at least six hours (or for days), until firm.

In the meantime, prepare the brittle (ahead of time). Set the oven to 210C (190C fan) cover a tray with parchment. Combine the syrup and sweetener in a pot mixing over a low heat for about a minute. Stir in the pecans and sea salt, then remove from the heat transfer to the sheet. Cook for 8 minutes, until crisp, then remove and leave to cool. When fully hardened, chop into irregular pieces place in a sealed jar chilled.

Release the cake from its tin move to a plate. Beat the cream to soft peaks, then spoon over the center leaving space around. Scatter most of the pecan brittle across the surface, offering more on the side.