Indulge in a Creamy Autumn Cheesecake featuring Maple Pecan Brittle

Smooth, aromatic and perfectly sweetened, this pumpkin cheesecake embodies fall coziness. I avoid tinned pumpkin – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I recommend of roasting your own pumpkin. Baking enhances the sweet flavor while evaporating extra liquid, resulting in a deep, aromatic mash which adds genuine complexity. A crunchy pecan topping provides the final flourish: caramelized, rich and with just the right amount of crunch against the velvety texture.

Pumpkin Cheesecake and Maple Pecan Brittle

For 200g pumpkin puree, dice a medium squash, peeled and seeded into chunks, then roast, lightly covered, in a hot oven cooked through but not colored. Puree using a powerful blender.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 1 hour
Chill overnight
Serves 8 to 10

Crumb Crust

• 200g ginger nut biscuits
• melted butter, melted, and some for coating
• a pinch of salt

For the Filling

• full-fat cream cheese
• 150g caster sugar
• orange zest
• squash mash (as described above)
• thickener
• aromatic cinnamon
• ginger powder
• freshly grated nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves
• room-temperature eggs, at room temperature
• tangy cream
• vanilla

For the Maple Pecan Brittle Topping

• pure maple syrup
• sugar
• chopped pecans, roughly chopped
• sea salt flakes
• heavy cream

Set the oven to 365F then butter the entire interior using a cake tin. Pulse the biscuits to fine crumbs, then tip into a mixing bowl. Mix in the salty butter, stir so the crumbs are evenly damp. Transfer to the buttered container, compact it well, heat until set, set aside to cool.

Lower the oven temperature to 355F. At the same time, add the base ingredients into a mixer bowl, whip on low speed at a gentle pace to a creamy texture. Mix in the spiced pumpkin mix, blend on medium-low until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition, follow with the tangy cream and flavoring, and beat until smooth.

Transfer the cheesecake mixture over the prepared crust and smooth the top with a small spatula. Lightly tap the pan on a worktop to dispel any air bubbles, then heat the dessert in the middle of the oven until set with set edges with a jiggly middle. Switch off the heat, leave the door ajar allowing it to cool for 60 minutes. Once it’s at room temperature, cool in the fridge (or longer), until completely set.

Meanwhile, make the pecan brittle (in advance). Set the oven to 410F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment. Stir together the maple syrup and sugar over heat and stir gently over a low heat for about a minute. Add in the nuts and salt, take off the stove and spread on the tray. Cook for 8 minutes, until crisp, take out and cool. When fully hardened, cut roughly and store in a sealed jar in the freezer.

Remove the dessert from the springform place on a serving dish. Whisk the cream to soft peaks, then place on top of the cake leaving space around. Add the crunchy bits over the top, with additional brittle for serving.