Discover this Creamy Autumn Cheesecake featuring Maple Pecan Brittle
Velvety, flavorful and just sweet enough, this pumpkin cheesecake embodies fall coziness. I skip canned puree – it lacks depth and flavor – so I prefer of roasting your own pumpkin. The oven’s heat brings out the sweet flavor removing extra liquid, resulting in a deep, aromatic mash imparting genuine complexity. Golden nut brittle provides the final flourish: caramelized, rich and offering a satisfying crisp to offset the smooth filling.
Autumn Cheesecake and Maple Pecan Brittle
Prepare about one cup of puree, chop 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin in sections, bake, lightly covered, at 390F until soft but not browned. Blend until smooth.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hr 45 min
Cool 1 hour
Chill 6 hr+
Serves 8-10
For the Base
- 200g ginger nut biscuits
- melted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
- a pinch of salt
Creamy Layer
- soft cheese
- fine sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- squash mash (prepared earlier)
- cornstarch
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- warm ginger
- nutmeg
- clove spice
- 2 large eggs, warmed slightly
- tangy cream
- vanilla
Crunchy Finish
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- fine sugar
- chopped pecans, coarsely cut
- sea salt flakes
- 150ml double cream
Heat the oven at a moderate heat and lightly grease the entire interior of a 20cm round springform tin. Pulse the cookies until crumbly, then tip into a container. Incorporate the butter and salt, stir until moistened. Place in the greased tin, press down firmly, heat until set, then remove and leave to cool.
Lower the setting to 175C (155C fan). In the meantime, add the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest in a stand mixer, whip with the paddle attachment at a gentle pace until well blended. Add the pumpkin puree, cornflour and spices, then mix on medium-low until combined. Mix in eggs separately, beating in well one by one, follow with the tangy cream and flavoring, whip until combined.
Pour the pumpkin filling on to the set base even the surface with a small spatula. Lightly tap the pan on the counter to remove bubbles, then heat the cheesecake in the middle of the oven until set until the sides are firm and a soft center. Switch off the heat, keep the oven slightly open and leave the cheesecake to cool for one hour. When cooled, chill for at least six hours (and up to three days), until fully chilled.
In the meantime, create the topping (ahead of time). Heat the oven to a high temperature cover a tray using liner. Mix the syrup and sweetener in a small saucepan and stir gently gently briefly. Add in the pecans and sea salt, take off the stove transfer to the sheet. Cook for 8 minutes, until golden and bubbly, then remove and leave to cool. After cooling completely, chop into irregular pieces and store in a container in the freezer.
Remove the dessert from the pan and transfer to a platter. Whip the cream to a light consistency, then place on top of the cake leaving space around. Sprinkle the brittle across the surface, with additional brittle for serving.
