Indulge in a Creamy Autumn Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle

Silky, spiced and just sweet enough, this delightful dessert is a celebration of autumnal comfort. I skip canned puree – the taste is bland and thin – so I prefer baking your own pumpkin. Baking brings out the sweet flavor while evaporating excess moisture, producing a smooth, flavourful puree that gives the cheesecake real depth. A crunchy pecan topping provides the final flourish: caramelized, rich and with just the right amount of crunch against the cheesecake’s creamy softness.

Pumpkin Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping

To make the pumpkin base, dice 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin into chunks, cook, loosely covered, in a hot oven cooked through but not colored. Puree using a powerful blender.

Prep a brief 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 1 hr
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves about 10 people

Base Ingredients

• 200g ginger nut biscuits
• rich butter, liquefied, and some for coating
• sea salt

Cheesecake Mixture

• full-fat cream cheese
• white sugar
• citrus peel
• 200g pumpkin puree (see introduction)
• 2 tsp cornflour
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• nutmeg
• clove spice
• fresh eggs, not cold
• tangy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Pecan Garnish

• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 90g pecans, roughly chopped
• a pinch of salt
• whipping cream

Heat the oven at a moderate heat then butter the entire interior with a springform pan. Pulse the cookies into crumbs, then tip into a container. Add the salty butter, combine so the crumbs are evenly damp. Tip into the prepared pan, press down firmly, bake for 10 minutes, set aside to cool.

Reduce the heat to 175C (155C fan). At the same time, place the cheese, sweetener, and zest into a mixer bowl, then beat with the paddle attachment on medium-low until well blended. Mix in the spiced pumpkin mix, and beat gently until combined. Introduce the eggs separately, incorporating fully after each one, follow with the tangy cream and flavoring, mix until combined.

Pour the pumpkin filling onto the set base level it out using a spatula. Lightly tap the pan on a worktop to remove bubbles, then bake the cheesecake in the middle of the oven until set until the edges are set and the centre is slightly wobbly. Switch off the heat, keep the oven slightly open and let it cool down for an hour. When cooled, cool in the fridge (or for days), until firm.

While waiting, create the topping (ahead of time). Set the oven to 210C (190C fan) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment. Stir together the ingredients in a pot and stir gently gently briefly. Stir in the chopped pecans, take off the stove transfer to the sheet. Cook for 8 minutes, until crisp, take out and cool. When fully hardened, chop into irregular pieces and store in a container frozen.

Remove the cake from the springform place on a serving dish. Whip the cream to a light consistency, then spoon over the center leaving a 3-4cm border. Sprinkle the brittle on top, offering more on the side.