Discover a Creamy Autumn Cheesecake featuring Crunchy Maple Pecans
Smooth, spiced and perfectly sweetened, this seasonal treat captures fall coziness. I’m not a fan of tinned pumpkin – it lacks depth and flavor – so I’ve taken the extra step to roast some butternut or Kent squash. The oven’s heat brings out the inherent sugars and reduces unwanted water, yielding a deep, aromatic mash that gives the cheesecake authentic character. The maple pecan brittle provides the final flourish: golden, nutty and with just the right amount of crunch to offset the smooth filling.
Pumpkin Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping
To make the pumpkin base, dice a medium squash, peeled and seeded into cubes, bake, lightly covered, at 200C (180C fan) cooked through but not colored. Puree in a high-speed blender.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook about 1¾ hours
Cool 60 minutes
Chill 6 hr+
Serves 8 to 10
Crumb Crust
- spiced biscuits
- 70g unsalted butter, softened, and some for coating
- a pinch of salt
Creamy Layer
- 500g cream cheese
- white sugar
- orange zest
- 200g pumpkin puree (as described above)
- cornstarch
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- warm ginger
- nutmeg
- clove spice
- 2 large eggs, warmed slightly
- sour cream
- vanilla
Pecan Garnish
- maple sweetener
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- chopped pecans, coarsely cut
- sea salt flakes
- 150ml double cream
Preheat your oven to 185C (165C fan) coat the bottom and edges using a cake tin. In a food processor the cookies into crumbs, transfer to a container. Add the butter and salt, stir so the crumbs are evenly damp. Place in the greased tin, press down firmly, bake for 10 minutes, take out and cool.
Lower the heat to 175C (155C fan). At the same time, place the cheese, sweetener, and zest in the bowl of an electric mixer, then beat with the paddle attachment at a gentle pace to a creamy texture. Incorporate the pumpkin puree, cornflour and spices, and beat at low speed until incorporated. Introduce the eggs individually, beating in well after each one, then add the soured cream and vanilla, whip until smooth.
Scoop the spiced cream over the cooled biscuit base level it out using a spatula. Give it a gentle shake on a surface to dispel any air bubbles, then bake the cake on the middle rack for about three-quarters of an hour with set edges and a soft center. Stop baking, keep the oven slightly open allowing it to cool for one hour. When cooled, refrigerate for 6+ hours (or longer), until firm.
While waiting, prepare the brittle (up to three days ahead). Set the oven to 410F cover a tray with baking paper. Stir together the maple syrup and sugar in a small saucepan and stir gently on low until dissolved. Stir in the nuts and salt, stop heating and spread on the tray. Heat until golden, until golden and bubbly, take out and cool. When fully hardened, chop into irregular pieces keeping in a sealed jar in the freezer.
Remove the cake from the pan place on a serving dish. Whisk the cream to a light consistency, then place on top of the cake leaving a 3-4cm border. Scatter most of the pecan brittle across the surface, with additional brittle for serving.