Indulge in a Silky Autumn Cheesecake with Crunchy Maple Pecans
Smooth, aromatic and just sweet enough, this delightful dessert captures autumnal comfort. I skip prepared pumpkin – it lacks depth and flavor – so I’ve taken the extra step to roast your own pumpkin. Baking brings out the sweet flavor removing unwanted water, producing a rich, tasty base which adds real depth. Golden nut brittle completes the dessert: toasty, flavorful and offering a satisfying crisp against the smooth filling.
Pumpkin Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping
Prepare the pumpkin base, dice fresh pumpkin pieces in sections, then roast, with a cover, at 390F cooked through but not colored. Puree in a high-speed blender.
Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 1 hr
Chill overnight
Serves about 10 people
Base Ingredients
- 200g ginger nut biscuits
- melted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- sea salt
For the Filling
- soft cheese
- 150g caster sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- homemade puree (prepared earlier)
- cornstarch
- aromatic cinnamon
- warm ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- room-temperature eggs, not cold
- sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Maple Pecan Brittle Topping
- maple sweetener
- sugar
- chopped pecans, roughly chopped
- a pinch of salt
- 150ml double cream
Set the oven to 185C (165C fan) and lightly grease the entire interior of a 20cm round springform tin. Using a processor the ginger nuts until crumbly, transfer to a container. Incorporate the salty butter, combine coating the crumbs. Place in the prepared pan, even it out, bake for 10 minutes, set aside to cool.
Lower the heat to 175C (155C fan). In the meantime, add the base ingredients in a stand mixer, whip using the paddle slowly until smooth and creamy. Add the pumpkin puree, cornflour and spices, blend on medium-low well mixed. Add the eggs individually, incorporating fully after each one, next include the cream and extract, and beat until smooth.
Pour the spiced cream over the cooled biscuit base level it out with a small spatula. Give it a gentle shake on a worktop to release trapped air, then cook the dessert centered in the oven until set with set edges and a soft center. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and leave the cheesecake to cool for an hour. When cooled, chill for at least six hours (or for days), until completely set.
While waiting, make the pecan brittle (ahead of time). Set the oven to a high temperature cover a tray with parchment. Stir together the maple syrup and sugar in a small saucepan and heat slowly on low briefly. Stir in the pecans and sea salt, stop heating and scrape into the lined tray. Heat until golden, until crisp, then remove and leave to cool. After cooling completely, cut roughly and store in a container in the freezer.
Remove the cheesecake from its tin move to a plate. Whisk the cream until fluffy, then place into the middle of the cheesecake leaving space around. Scatter most of the pecan brittle over the top, offering more on the side.
