Savor this Silky Pumpkin Cheesecake featuring Crunchy Maple Pecans

Silky, aromatic and just sweet enough, this pumpkin cheesecake captures fall coziness. I skip prepared pumpkin – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I prefer baking your own pumpkin. Roasting coaxes out the inherent sugars removing unwanted water, producing a rich, tasty base imparting genuine complexity. Golden nut brittle provides the final flourish: golden, nutty and offering a satisfying crisp complementing the velvety texture.

Autumn Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping

To make the pumpkin base, dice fresh pumpkin pieces into cubes, bake, loosely covered, at 390F until soft but not browned. Process in a high-speed blender.

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

Crumb Crust

• spiced biscuits
• rich butter, softened, with more for the tin
• ⅛ tsp fine sea salt

Creamy Layer

• soft cheese
• fine sugar
• orange zest
• squash mash (prepared earlier)
• cornstarch
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• clove spice
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 100ml soured cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Maple Pecan Brittle Topping

• maple sweetener
• sugar
• chopped pecans, coarsely cut
• sea salt flakes
• 150ml double cream

Set the oven to 185C (165C fan) then butter the entire interior using a cake tin. Using a processor the biscuits into crumbs, transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the salty butter, and mix coating the crumbs. Place in the buttered container, even it out, bake for 10 minutes, take out and cool.

Turn down the setting to a lower temp. In the meantime, put the cheese, sweetener, and zest in a stand mixer, whip on low speed at a gentle pace until well blended. Incorporate the puree, thickener, and seasonings, blend at low speed well mixed. Mix in eggs one at a time, beating in well one by one, next include the tangy cream and flavoring, and beat until combined.

Pour the pumpkin filling over the prepared crust even the surface using a spatula. Give it a gentle shake on the counter to release trapped air, then bake the dessert on the middle rack until set until the edges are set with a jiggly middle. Stop baking, keep the oven slightly open and leave the cheesecake to cool for one hour. After cooling, chill for at least six hours (and up to three days), until completely set.

In the meantime, create the topping (ahead of time). Preheat the oven to a high temperature and prepare a baking sheet with baking paper. Mix the ingredients in a small saucepan mixing on low until dissolved. Mix the chopped pecans, then remove from the heat transfer to the sheet. Cook for 8 minutes, until crisp, then remove and leave to cool. After cooling completely, break into chunks and store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Remove the cake from its tin move to a plate. Beat the cream to a light consistency, then place into the middle of the cheesecake with a clear edge. Sprinkle the brittle across the surface, then serve with extra pecan brittle alongside.