Savor this Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle

Silky, spiced and not overly sugary, this seasonal treat captures fall coziness. I avoid tinned pumpkin – the taste is bland and thin – so I recommend to roast fresh squash varieties. Roasting coaxes out its natural sweetness removing unwanted water, producing a deep, aromatic mash that gives the cheesecake real depth. Golden nut brittle provides the final flourish: golden, nutty and offering a satisfying crisp complementing the cheesecake’s creamy softness.

Autumn Cheesecake and Maple Pecan Brittle

Prepare the pumpkin base, chop 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin into chunks, cook, loosely covered, at 390F until soft but not browned. Blend until smooth.

Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr 45 min
Cool 60 minutes
Chill 6 hr+
Serves about 10 people

Crumb Crust

• 200g ginger nut biscuits
• melted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
• sea salt

Creamy Layer

• soft cheese
• white sugar
• citrus peel
• squash mash (see introduction)
• cornstarch
• aromatic cinnamon
• ginger powder
• freshly grated nutmeg
• clove spice
• fresh eggs, warmed slightly
• sour cream
• pure vanilla

For the Maple Pecan Brittle Topping

• pure maple syrup
• sugar
• 90g pecans, roughly chopped
• 1 large pinch flaky sea salt
• whipping cream

Heat the oven to 185C (165C fan) then butter the bottom and edges of a 20cm round springform tin. In a food processor the ginger nuts until crumbly, transfer to a container. Incorporate the salty butter, combine until moistened. Tip into the buttered container, even it out, heat until set, then remove and leave to cool.

Turn down the heat to 175C (155C fan). Meanwhile, place the cheese, sweetener, and zest in the bowl of an electric mixer, then beat with the paddle attachment slowly until smooth and creamy. Add the spiced pumpkin mix, then mix gently until incorporated. Add the eggs separately, beating in well after each one, then add the tangy cream and flavoring, whip until combined.

Transfer the cheesecake mixture on to the cooled biscuit base level it out using a spatula. Tap the tin gently on a surface to release trapped air, then cook the cake on the middle rack for 45 minutes until the sides are firm with a jiggly middle. Switch off the heat, crack the door open and leave the cheesecake to cool for 60 minutes. When cooled, cool in the fridge (or longer), until fully chilled.

Meanwhile, create the topping (ahead of time). Preheat the oven to 410F and line a small oven tray with parchment. Mix the ingredients in a small saucepan and heat slowly on low briefly. Add in the pecans and sea salt, take off the stove and spread on the tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until caramelized, then remove and leave to cool. After cooling completely, chop into irregular pieces keeping in a sealed jar frozen.

Release the dessert from the pan move to a plate. Whip the cream until fluffy, then add over the center leaving space around. Sprinkle the brittle over the top, then serve with extra pecan brittle alongside.