Indulge in a Creamy Autumn Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle
Silky, flavorful and perfectly sweetened, this pumpkin cheesecake captures fall coziness. I skip prepared pumpkin – the taste is bland and thin – so I’ve taken the extra step of roasting your own pumpkin. The oven’s heat coaxes out its natural sweetness while evaporating extra liquid, yielding a deep, aromatic mash that gives the cheesecake real depth. A crunchy pecan topping completes the dessert: caramelized, rich and with just the right amount of crunch complementing the smooth filling.
Pumpkin Cheesecake and Maple Pecan Brittle
For the pumpkin base, cut 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin in sections, bake, lightly covered, at 200C (180C fan) until tender without browning. Puree in a high-speed blender.
Prep 10 min
Cook about 1¾ hours
Cool 1 hr
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves 8-10
Crumb Crust
- gingersnap cookies
- rich butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
Cheesecake Mixture
- 500g cream cheese
- 150g caster sugar
- citrus peel
- squash mash (prepared earlier)
- 2 tsp cornflour
- aromatic cinnamon
- warm ginger
- freshly grated nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- room-temperature eggs, at room temperature
- tangy cream
- vanilla
For the Maple Pecan Brittle Topping
- maple sweetener
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- nut pieces, coarsely cut
- a pinch of salt
- whipping cream
Heat the oven at a moderate heat coat the bottom and edges with a springform pan. Using a processor the cookies into crumbs, then tip into a container. Add the butter and salt, and mix so the crumbs are evenly damp. Tip into the buttered container, press down firmly, bake for 10 minutes, set aside to cool.
Turn down the oven temperature to a lower temp. Meanwhile, place the cheese, sweetener, and zest in the bowl of an electric mixer, whip using the paddle on medium-low to a creamy texture. Add the spiced pumpkin mix, and beat at low speed well mixed. Mix in eggs individually, beating in well between each addition, next include the cream and extract, and beat until fully incorporated.
Pour the spiced cream onto the cooled biscuit base level it out using a spatula. Tap the tin gently on a surface to release trapped air, then cook the cheesecake centered in the oven until set with set edges and a soft center. Turn off the oven, keep the oven slightly open allowing it to cool for one hour. When cooled, refrigerate for 6+ hours (or for days), until fully chilled.
Meanwhile, prepare the brittle (up to three days ahead). Preheat the oven to 210C (190C fan) and line a small oven tray with baking paper. Stir together the ingredients in a small saucepan mixing gently for about a minute. Add in the pecans and sea salt, stop heating and scrape into the lined tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until caramelized, take out and cool. After cooling completely, break into chunks keeping in a sealed jar frozen.
Release the dessert from its tin place on a serving dish. Whisk the cream to a light consistency, then place on top of the cake leaving a 3-4cm border. Add the crunchy bits over the top, offering more on the side.
