Indulge in a Smooth Autumn Cheesecake with Crunchy Maple Pecans
Velvety, aromatic and perfectly sweetened, this delightful dessert captures harvest warmth. I skip canned puree – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I recommend baking your own pumpkin. The oven’s heat enhances the sweet flavor removing unwanted water, producing a deep, aromatic mash which adds genuine complexity. Golden nut brittle completes the dessert: caramelized, rich and providing a textural contrast complementing the velvety texture.
Autumn Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle
For the pumpkin base, dice fresh pumpkin pieces in sections, cook, lightly covered, at 200C (180C fan) until soft but not browned. Process using a powerful blender.
Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr 45 min
Cool 1 hr
Chill overnight
Serves 8-10
Base Ingredients
- spiced biscuits
- melted butter, softened, and some for coating
- a pinch of salt
Creamy Layer
- full-fat cream cheese
- fine sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- homemade puree (prepared earlier)
- cornstarch
- aromatic cinnamon
- warm ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- clove spice
- room-temperature eggs, warmed slightly
- tangy cream
- pure vanilla
Pecan Garnish
- pure maple syrup
- sugar
- chopped pecans, coarsely cut
- sea salt flakes
- 150ml double cream
Preheat your oven at a moderate heat then butter the entire interior with a springform pan. In a food processor the cookies until crumbly, transfer to a container. Add the melted butter and salt, combine coating the crumbs. Place in the greased tin, compact it well, cook briefly, take out and cool.
Reduce the setting to 355F. At the same time, put the cheese, sweetener, and zest into a mixer bowl, then beat on low speed slowly until well blended. Add the puree, thickener, and seasonings, blend on medium-low well mixed. Introduce the eggs individually, mixing thoroughly after each one, follow with the cream and extract, whip until combined.
Scoop the pumpkin filling on to the prepared crust and smooth the top using a spatula. Give it a gentle shake on a worktop to remove bubbles, then cook the dessert centered in the oven for about three-quarters of an hour with set edges and a soft center. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let it cool down for one hour. Once it’s at room temperature, refrigerate for 6+ hours (and up to three days), until fully chilled.
In the meantime, prepare the brittle (in advance). Set the oven to 410F and line a small oven tray using liner. Stir together the maple syrup and sugar in a small saucepan and stir gently gently briefly. Stir in the nuts and salt, stop heating and scrape into the lined tray. Heat until golden, until crisp, take out and cool. When fully hardened, cut roughly and store in a container chilled.
Remove the cheesecake from the pan move to a plate. Whip the cream to soft peaks, then place on top of the cake with a clear edge. Add the crunchy bits on top, offering more on the side.
