Indulge in this Smooth Autumn Cheesecake featuring Maple Pecan Brittle
Silky, aromatic and not overly sugary, this pumpkin cheesecake captures autumnal comfort. I avoid prepared pumpkin – the taste is bland and thin – so I’ve taken the extra step of roasting your own pumpkin. Roasting coaxes out the sweet flavor while evaporating unwanted water, yielding a deep, aromatic mash imparting genuine complexity. A crunchy pecan topping completes the dessert: caramelized, rich and with just the right amount of crunch against the cheesecake’s creamy softness.
Autumn Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping
Prepare the pumpkin base, dice a medium squash, peeled and seeded into cubes, then roast, with a cover, at 390F until soft but not browned. Puree until smooth.
Prep a brief 10 minutes
Cook 1 hr 45 min
Cool 1 hour
Chill overnight
Serves 8-10
For the Base
- 200g ginger nut biscuits
- melted butter, liquefied, with more for the tin
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
Creamy Layer
- 500g cream cheese
- 150g caster sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- squash mash (as described above)
- cornstarch
- cinnamon spice
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- freshly grated nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Pecan Garnish
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- sugar
- nut pieces, in chunks
- a pinch of salt
- heavy cream
Set the oven to 365F and lightly grease the bottom and edges of a 20cm round springform tin. In a food processor the ginger nuts until crumbly, then tip into a medium bowl. Incorporate the melted butter and salt, and mix coating the crumbs. Place in the prepared pan, compact it well, heat until set, take out and cool.
Reduce the oven temperature to a lower temp. In the meantime, place the cheese, sweetener, and zest in a stand mixer, then beat with the paddle attachment at a gentle pace to a creamy texture. Incorporate the spiced pumpkin mix, then mix at low speed well mixed. Introduce the eggs one at a time, beating in well between each addition, then add the soured cream and vanilla, mix until fully incorporated.
Scoop the spiced cream on to the prepared crust and smooth the top with a tool. Give it a gentle shake on the counter to dispel any air bubbles, then bake the cheesecake centered in the oven for about three-quarters of an hour with set edges and the centre is slightly wobbly. Stop baking, leave the door ajar and let it cool down for one hour. When cooled, cool in the fridge (and up to three days), until completely set.
In the meantime, prepare the brittle (ahead of time). Heat the oven to a high temperature and prepare a baking sheet with parchment. Combine the ingredients over heat mixing on low for about a minute. Mix the nuts and salt, then remove from the heat and spread on the tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until crisp, take out and cool. When fully hardened, break into chunks and store in a container frozen.
Release the cake from its tin move to a plate. Whisk the cream to soft peaks, then add on top of the cake leaving a 3-4cm border. Add the crunchy bits across the surface, with additional brittle for serving.
