Indulge in this Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake featuring Maple Pecan Brittle
Silky, spiced and perfectly sweetened, this delightful dessert captures autumnal comfort. I avoid prepared pumpkin – the taste is bland and thin – so I recommend baking your own pumpkin. Roasting enhances its natural sweetness and reduces extra liquid, producing a smooth, flavourful puree imparting authentic character. The maple pecan brittle adds the perfect finish: toasty, flavorful and offering a satisfying crisp to offset the velvety texture.
Autumn Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle
Prepare about one cup of puree, dice 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin in sections, bake, with a cover, in a hot oven cooked through but not colored. Puree until smooth.
Prep a brief 10 minutes
Cook about 1¾ hours
Cool 1 hr
Chill 6 hr+
Serves about 10 people
Crumb Crust
- 200g ginger nut biscuits
- rich butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- sea salt
Creamy Layer
- soft cheese
- 150g caster sugar
- orange zest
- homemade puree (prepared earlier)
- cornstarch
- aromatic cinnamon
- warm ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- hint of cloves
- room-temperature eggs, not cold
- tangy cream
- pure vanilla
For the Maple Pecan Brittle Topping
- pure maple syrup
- sugar
- 90g pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 large pinch flaky sea salt
- 150ml double cream
Heat the oven at a moderate heat then butter the base and sides using a cake tin. In a food processor the cookies into crumbs, place in a mixing bowl. Incorporate the melted butter and salt, combine until moistened. Tip into the greased tin, even it out, cook briefly, set aside to cool.
Turn down the oven temperature to a lower temp. Meanwhile, put the base ingredients in a stand mixer, mix with the paddle attachment on medium-low until smooth and creamy. Mix in the spiced pumpkin mix, blend on medium-low well mixed. Introduce the eggs separately, mixing thoroughly one by one, then add the soured cream and vanilla, whip until combined.
Transfer the cheesecake mixture on to the cooled biscuit base and smooth the top with a tool. Lightly tap the pan on a surface to dispel any air bubbles, then bake the dessert centered in the oven for 45 minutes until the sides are firm and the centre is slightly wobbly. Switch off the heat, leave the door ajar and let it cool down for an hour. When cooled, chill for at least six hours (and up to three days), until completely set.
In the meantime, prepare the brittle (up to three days ahead). Heat the oven to 210C (190C fan) and prepare a baking sheet using liner. Mix the maple syrup and sugar over heat mixing on low for about a minute. Stir in the chopped pecans, stop heating and scrape into the lined tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until golden and bubbly, take out and cool. Once the brittle is completely hard, break into chunks and store in an airtight container frozen.
Remove the dessert from the springform move to a plate. Whisk the cream to a light consistency, then spoon on top of the cake leaving a 3-4cm border. Sprinkle the brittle on top, offering more on the side.
