Savor a Smooth Autumn Cheesecake featuring Maple Pecan Brittle

Smooth, flavorful and just sweet enough, this pumpkin cheesecake embodies fall coziness. I’m not a fan of prepared pumpkin – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I prefer to roast your own pumpkin. Roasting enhances its natural sweetness while evaporating extra liquid, resulting in a deep, aromatic mash which adds genuine complexity. Golden nut brittle completes the dessert: golden, nutty and providing a textural contrast complementing the cheesecake’s creamy softness.

Autumn Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping

Prepare about one cup of puree, dice a medium squash, peeled and seeded in sections, cook, with a cover, at 390F cooked through but not colored. Puree using a powerful blender.

Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 1 hour
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves 8 to 10

Base Ingredients

• spiced biscuits
• 70g unsalted butter, melted, with more for the tin
• sea salt

Creamy Layer

• full-fat cream cheese
• fine sugar
• orange zest
• squash mash (prepared earlier)
• cornstarch
• aromatic cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• hint of cloves
• room-temperature eggs, warmed slightly
• sour cream
• vanilla

For the Maple Pecan Brittle Topping

• pure maple syrup
• fine sugar
• 90g pecans, roughly chopped
• 1 large pinch flaky sea salt
• 150ml double cream

Preheat your oven to 185C (165C fan) coat the base and sides with a springform pan. Pulse the ginger nuts into crumbs, then tip into a mixing bowl. Incorporate the butter and salt, stir coating the crumbs. Tip into the buttered container, press down firmly, heat until set, then remove and leave to cool.

Reduce the oven temperature to 355F. Meanwhile, add the base ingredients into a mixer bowl, mix using the paddle on medium-low to a creamy texture. Incorporate the puree, thickener, and seasonings, blend gently until incorporated. Mix in eggs individually, beating in well after each one, next include the tangy cream and flavoring, and beat until smooth.

Scoop the spiced cream onto the cooled biscuit base even the surface with a small spatula. Give it a gentle shake on a worktop to dispel any air bubbles, then bake the dessert centered in the oven until set with set edges and a soft center. Stop baking, crack the door open and let it cool down for one hour. After cooling, refrigerate for 6+ hours (or for days), until completely set.

While waiting, create the topping (ahead of time). Heat the oven to 410F and line a small oven tray with baking paper. Combine the syrup and sweetener over heat and stir gently over a low heat briefly. Mix the chopped pecans, take off the stove and scrape into the lined tray. Heat until golden, until crisp, take out and cool. After cooling completely, break into chunks keeping in a sealed jar frozen.

Release the dessert from the pan move to a plate. Whisk the cream to a light consistency, then place into the middle of the cheesecake with a clear edge. Add the crunchy bits across the surface, with additional brittle for serving.