Indulge in this Smooth Autumn Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle

Silky, spiced and just sweet enough, this pumpkin cheesecake captures autumnal comfort. I’m not a fan of canned puree – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I prefer of roasting fresh squash varieties. Baking brings out the sweet flavor removing unwanted water, yielding a smooth, flavourful puree imparting real depth. Golden nut brittle completes the dessert: toasty, flavorful and providing a textural contrast to offset the cheesecake’s creamy softness.

Autumn Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping

For 200g pumpkin puree, cut a medium squash, peeled and seeded into cubes, then roast, lightly covered, at 390F until soft but not browned. Process until smooth.

Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 60 minutes
Chill 6 hr+
Serves 8-10

Base Ingredients

• 200g ginger nut biscuits
• 70g unsalted butter, melted, and some for coating
• ⅛ tsp fine sea salt

For the Filling

• full-fat cream cheese
• white sugar
• citrus peel
• homemade puree (see introduction)
• 2 tsp cornflour
• aromatic cinnamon
• ginger powder
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• clove spice
• fresh eggs, not cold
• sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Maple Pecan Brittle Topping

• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• chopped pecans, coarsely cut
• sea salt flakes
• heavy cream

Heat the oven to 365F coat the entire interior of a 20cm round springform tin. Using a processor the cookies into crumbs, then tip into a mixing bowl. Add the salty butter, combine until moistened. Tip into the buttered container, even it out, bake for 10 minutes, set aside to cool.

Turn down the heat to 355F. Meanwhile, place the cheese, sweetener, and zest into a mixer bowl, mix with the paddle attachment on medium-low to a creamy texture. Incorporate the spiced pumpkin mix, and beat on medium-low until incorporated. Introduce the eggs separately, incorporating fully one by one, follow with the soured cream and vanilla, and beat until combined.

Transfer the pumpkin filling onto the prepared crust even the surface using a spatula. Tap the tin gently on the counter to remove bubbles, then cook the cheesecake on the middle rack for about three-quarters of an hour until the sides are firm and the centre is slightly wobbly. Stop baking, keep the oven slightly open and leave the cheesecake to cool for an hour. When cooled, chill for at least six hours (or for days), until fully chilled.

In the meantime, create the topping (ahead of time). Preheat the oven to 410F cover a tray using liner. Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan mixing over a low heat for about a minute. Mix the pecans and sea salt, stop heating transfer to the sheet. Heat until golden, until caramelized, then remove and leave to cool. Once the brittle is completely hard, chop into irregular pieces keeping in a sealed jar in the freezer.

Release the cake from its tin and transfer to a platter. Whisk the cream until fluffy, then add into the middle of the cheesecake leaving a 3-4cm border. Sprinkle the brittle on top, offering more on the side.