Savor a Smooth Autumn Cheesecake featuring Maple Pecan Brittle

Velvety, spiced and not overly sugary, this pumpkin cheesecake embodies harvest warmth. I avoid prepared pumpkin – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I recommend baking fresh squash varieties. The oven’s heat coaxes out the sweet flavor removing unwanted water, yielding a deep, aromatic mash that gives the cheesecake authentic character. The maple pecan brittle adds the perfect finish: golden, nutty and providing a textural contrast to offset the smooth filling.

Autumn Cheesecake and Maple Pecan Brittle

To make about one cup of puree, chop 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin into chunks, cook, loosely covered, at 390F cooked through but not colored. Blend in a high-speed blender.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook about 1¾ hours
Cool 60 minutes
Chill 6 hr+
Serves 8-10

For the Base

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

Cheesecake Mixture

• full-fat cream cheese
• fine sugar
• orange zest
• homemade puree (see introduction)
• 2 tsp cornflour
• aromatic cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• freshly grated nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves
• fresh eggs, at room temperature
• sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Crunchy Finish

• maple sweetener
• fine sugar
• 90g pecans, coarsely cut
• sea salt flakes
• whipping cream

Set the oven at a moderate heat and lightly grease the bottom and edges using a cake tin. Pulse the biscuits until crumbly, place in a container. Incorporate the salty butter, stir coating the crumbs. Place in the buttered container, even it out, bake for 10 minutes, then remove and leave to cool.

Reduce the oven temperature to 355F. In the meantime, add the base ingredients in a stand mixer, then beat using the paddle slowly until smooth and creamy. Mix in the spiced pumpkin mix, blend gently until incorporated. Mix in eggs one at a time, beating in well between each addition, follow with the cream and extract, whip until fully incorporated.

Scoop the cheesecake mixture over the cooled biscuit base even the surface with a small spatula. Give it a gentle shake on the counter to release trapped air, then heat the dessert in the middle of the oven until set until the edges are set and a soft center. Turn off the oven, keep the oven slightly open and let it cool down for 60 minutes. When cooled, refrigerate for 6+ hours (and up to three days), until completely set.

Meanwhile, create the topping (in advance). Heat the oven to 210C (190C fan) cover a tray with baking paper. Combine the ingredients over heat mixing gently for about a minute. Add in the chopped pecans, stop heating and spread on the tray. Cook for 8 minutes, until crisp, then remove and leave to cool. When fully hardened, break into chunks place in a sealed jar in the freezer.

Open the cheesecake from the springform place on a serving dish. Beat the cream to soft peaks, then spoon on top of the cake leaving a 3-4cm border. Add the crunchy bits on top, then serve with extra pecan brittle alongside.