Savor a Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle

Silky, flavorful and not overly sugary, this pumpkin cheesecake is a celebration of autumnal comfort. I skip canned puree – it lacks depth and flavor – so I recommend of roasting your own pumpkin. Baking brings out the inherent sugars and reduces unwanted water, producing a rich, tasty base which adds real depth. A crunchy pecan topping completes the dessert: caramelized, rich and providing a textural contrast complementing the smooth filling.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Crunchy Pecan Topping

To make the pumpkin base, cut 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin into cubes, then roast, with a cover, in a hot oven until tender without browning. Process using a powerful blender.

Prep 10 min
Cook about 1¾ hours
Cool 1 hr
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves 8-10

Base Ingredients

• 200g ginger nut biscuits
• melted butter, melted, with more for the tin
• ⅛ tsp fine sea salt

Cheesecake Mixture

• full-fat cream cheese
• white sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• homemade puree (see introduction)
• 2 tsp cornflour
• aromatic cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• nutmeg
• clove spice
• fresh eggs, not cold
• tangy cream
• vanilla

Crunchy Finish

• maple sweetener
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 90g pecans, coarsely cut
• a pinch of salt
• heavy cream

Preheat your oven to 365F coat the bottom and edges using a cake tin. Pulse the biscuits until crumbly, transfer to a medium bowl. Incorporate the melted butter and salt, stir until moistened. Transfer to the prepared pan, even it out, bake for 10 minutes, then remove and leave to cool.

Reduce the heat to a lower temp. In the meantime, add the base ingredients into a mixer bowl, then beat with the paddle attachment on medium-low until well blended. Mix in the puree, thickener, and seasonings, and beat on medium-low until incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating fully after each one, then add the cream and extract, and beat until combined.

Scoop the cheesecake mixture onto the cooled biscuit base level it out with a small spatula. Lightly tap the pan on a surface to remove bubbles, then cook the cheesecake on the middle rack for about three-quarters of an hour until the edges are set and a soft center. Turn off the oven, crack the door open and leave the cheesecake to cool for 60 minutes. When cooled, refrigerate for 6+ hours (or for days), until firm.

In the meantime, make the pecan brittle (ahead of time). Set the oven to 410F and line a small oven tray with baking paper. Stir together the syrup and sweetener in a small saucepan mixing over a low heat for about a minute. Stir in the chopped pecans, stop heating transfer to the sheet. Bake for about eight minutes, until golden and bubbly, then remove and leave to cool. Once the brittle is completely hard, chop into irregular pieces and store in a sealed jar chilled.

Release the cake from its tin place on a serving dish. Whisk the cream until fluffy, then add over the center leaving a 3-4cm border. Add the crunchy bits across the surface, with additional brittle for serving.