Indulge in this Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle
Silky, flavorful and perfectly sweetened, this seasonal treat is a celebration of autumnal comfort. I’m not a fan of prepared pumpkin – it lacks depth and flavor – so I recommend baking some butternut or Kent squash. Baking enhances the inherent sugars and reduces unwanted water, yielding a deep, aromatic mash imparting authentic character. Golden nut brittle adds the perfect finish: caramelized, rich and providing a textural contrast complementing the smooth filling.
Autumn Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping
To make the pumpkin base, dice fresh pumpkin pieces into chunks, then roast, lightly covered, at 390F until tender without browning. Process in a high-speed blender.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 1 hour
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves about 10 people
Crumb Crust
- gingersnap cookies
- rich butter, liquefied, and some for coating
- sea salt
For the Filling
- soft cheese
- fine sugar
- citrus peel
- homemade puree (prepared earlier)
- 2 tsp cornflour
- aromatic cinnamon
- ginger powder
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- hint of cloves
- fresh eggs, not cold
- 100ml soured cream
- pure vanilla
Pecan Garnish
- pure maple syrup
- sugar
- 90g pecans, coarsely cut
- a pinch of salt
- 150ml double cream
Preheat your oven to 185C (165C fan) then butter the base and sides using a cake tin. Using a processor the cookies into crumbs, then tip into a mixing bowl. Incorporate the salty butter, and mix until moistened. Tip into the greased tin, compact it well, heat until set, then remove and leave to cool.
Reduce the oven temperature to a lower temp. In the meantime, put the base ingredients in a stand mixer, then beat with the paddle attachment slowly to a creamy texture. Mix in the spiced pumpkin mix, blend gently well mixed. Add the eggs separately, beating in well one by one, then add the cream and extract, and beat until combined.
Scoop the cheesecake mixture over the set base even the surface with a tool. Give it a gentle shake on a worktop to release trapped air, then cook the cake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes until the edges are set and a soft center. Stop baking, keep the oven slightly open and let it cool down for an hour. Once it’s at room temperature, chill for at least six hours (or for days), until firm.
In the meantime, make the pecan brittle (in advance). Preheat the oven to a high temperature and line a small oven tray using liner. Combine the ingredients over heat mixing gently briefly. Mix the chopped pecans, then remove from the heat and scrape into the lined tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until crisp, take out and cool. When fully hardened, chop into irregular pieces place in a sealed jar chilled.
Remove the cake from the springform move to a plate. Whisk the cream to a light consistency, then spoon on top of the cake with a clear edge. Scatter most of the pecan brittle across the surface, then serve with extra pecan brittle alongside.
