Indulge in a Smooth Autumn Cheesecake featuring Maple Pecan Brittle
Silky, spiced and perfectly sweetened, this pumpkin cheesecake embodies fall coziness. I skip tinned pumpkin – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I recommend baking your own pumpkin. Baking coaxes out its natural sweetness and reduces extra liquid, yielding a deep, aromatic mash that gives the cheesecake genuine complexity. Golden nut brittle adds the perfect finish: caramelized, rich and providing a textural contrast to offset the velvety texture.
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle
Prepare 200g pumpkin puree, cut 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin in sections, bake, with a cover, at 390F until tender without browning. Blend using a powerful blender.
Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 60 minutes
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves 8-10
Base Ingredients
- gingersnap cookies
- rich butter, melted, with more for the tin
- a pinch of salt
For the Filling
- full-fat cream cheese
- fine sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- homemade puree (prepared earlier)
- thickener
- cinnamon spice
- ginger powder
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- hint of cloves
- fresh eggs, at room temperature
- tangy cream
- pure vanilla
For the Maple Pecan Brittle Topping
- pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 90g pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 large pinch flaky sea salt
- 150ml double cream
Preheat your oven to 365F coat the entire interior using a cake tin. Using a processor the biscuits until crumbly, then tip into a container. Add the melted butter and salt, combine until moistened. Tip into the prepared pan, compact it well, heat until set, then remove and leave to cool.
Lower the setting to 175C (155C fan). Meanwhile, put the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest into a mixer bowl, then beat with the paddle attachment at a gentle pace until well blended. Add the puree, thickener, and seasonings, then mix gently until incorporated. Introduce the eggs individually, incorporating fully one by one, then add the soured cream and vanilla, mix until combined.
Transfer the spiced cream over the cooled biscuit base even the surface with a small spatula. Lightly tap the pan on a surface to release trapped air, then heat the dessert centered in the oven for 45 minutes until the sides are firm with a jiggly middle. Switch off the heat, leave the door ajar allowing it to cool for 60 minutes. Once it’s at room temperature, refrigerate for 6+ hours (and up to three days), until completely set.
In the meantime, make the pecan brittle (ahead of time). Preheat the oven to a high temperature and prepare a baking sheet using liner. Stir together the syrup and sweetener in a pot and heat slowly over a low heat briefly. Stir in the nuts and salt, take off the stove and spread on the tray. Heat until golden, until golden and bubbly, take out and cool. After cooling completely, cut roughly keeping in a sealed jar frozen.
Remove the dessert from the springform and transfer to a platter. Whip the cream until fluffy, then spoon over the center with a clear edge. Scatter most of the pecan brittle over the top, then serve with extra pecan brittle alongside.
