Indulge in a Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake featuring Crunchy Maple Pecans

Smooth, spiced and not overly sugary, this pumpkin cheesecake is a celebration of harvest warmth. I’m not a fan of canned puree – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I prefer of roasting your own pumpkin. The oven’s heat brings out its natural sweetness and reduces unwanted water, resulting in a deep, aromatic mash imparting genuine complexity. Golden nut brittle adds the perfect finish: toasty, flavorful and offering a satisfying crisp against the velvety texture.

Autumn Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping

To make about one cup of puree, dice a medium squash, peeled and seeded into cubes, bake, lightly covered, in a hot oven until soft but not browned. Blend using a powerful blender.

Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr 45 min
Cool 1 hour
Chill overnight
Serves about 10 people

Base Ingredients

• 200g ginger nut biscuits
• melted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
• sea salt

Cheesecake Mixture

• 500g cream cheese
• white sugar
• citrus peel
• squash mash (as described above)
• thickener
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• ginger powder
• freshly grated nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves
• room-temperature eggs, at room temperature
• 100ml soured cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Maple Pecan Brittle Topping

• maple sweetener
• fine sugar
• chopped pecans, coarsely cut
• 1 large pinch flaky sea salt
• 150ml double cream

Preheat your oven at a moderate heat coat the entire interior with a springform pan. In a food processor the ginger nuts into crumbs, place in a mixing bowl. Add the salty butter, stir coating the crumbs. Transfer to the buttered container, compact it well, bake for 10 minutes, take out and cool.

Lower the setting to 175C (155C fan). At the same time, place the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest in a stand mixer, then beat with the paddle attachment slowly until smooth and creamy. Incorporate the pumpkin puree, cornflour and spices, and beat gently until combined. Mix in eggs separately, beating in well one by one, next include the soured cream and vanilla, mix until fully incorporated.

Pour the pumpkin filling onto the prepared crust and smooth the top using a spatula. Give it a gentle shake on a surface to release trapped air, then bake the cake centered in the oven for about three-quarters of an hour until the edges are set and a soft center. Switch off the heat, crack the door open and let it cool down for an hour. When cooled, cool in the fridge (and up to three days), until firm.

While waiting, make the pecan brittle (up to three days ahead). Set the oven to 410F cover a tray using liner. Combine the syrup and sweetener in a small saucepan mixing over a low heat for about a minute. Add in the nuts and salt, stop heating and spread on the tray. Heat until golden, until caramelized, take out and cool. Once the brittle is completely hard, cut roughly keeping in a container frozen.

Open the cake from its tin and transfer to a platter. Beat the cream to soft peaks, then add on top of the cake leaving space around. Scatter most of the pecan brittle over the top, then serve with extra pecan brittle alongside.