Savor this Creamy Autumn Cheesecake with Crunchy Maple Pecans

Smooth, spiced and perfectly sweetened, this delightful dessert is a celebration of harvest warmth. I skip tinned pumpkin – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I recommend of roasting your own pumpkin. Roasting enhances the sweet flavor and reduces unwanted water, yielding a rich, tasty base which adds real depth. A crunchy pecan topping provides the final flourish: caramelized, rich and with just the right amount of crunch to offset the cheesecake’s creamy softness.

Autumn Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle

For 200g pumpkin puree, dice a medium squash, peeled and seeded into chunks, then roast, loosely covered, in a hot oven cooked through but not colored. Process in a high-speed blender.

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

Crumb Crust

• spiced biscuits
• 70g unsalted butter, softened, with more for the tin
• a pinch of salt

Creamy Layer

• soft cheese
• fine sugar
• orange zest
• 200g pumpkin puree (see introduction)
• 2 tsp cornflour
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• warm ginger
• nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves
• room-temperature eggs, at room temperature
• 100ml soured cream
• pure vanilla

Pecan Garnish

• pure maple syrup
• fine sugar
• 90g pecans, roughly chopped
• 1 large pinch flaky sea salt
• whipping cream

Set the oven to 185C (165C fan) then butter the entire interior with a springform pan. In a food processor the cookies to fine crumbs, transfer to a medium bowl. Mix in the salty butter, combine until moistened. Tip into the buttered container, even it out, cook briefly, take out and cool.

Turn down the heat to 355F. At the same time, place the base ingredients in a stand mixer, mix using the paddle slowly to a creamy texture. Add the spiced pumpkin mix, blend gently well mixed. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating fully one by one, next include the tangy cream and flavoring, mix until smooth.

Transfer the pumpkin filling onto the cooled biscuit base level it out with a small spatula. Lightly tap the pan on a surface to release trapped air, then bake the cake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes until the edges are set with a jiggly middle. Turn off the oven, keep the oven slightly open and let it cool down for an hour. Once it’s at room temperature, chill for at least six hours (or longer), until firm.

While waiting, make the pecan brittle (up to three days ahead). Preheat the oven to 210C (190C fan) and prepare a baking sheet using liner. Stir together the syrup and sweetener over heat and heat slowly gently for about a minute. Stir in the pecans and sea salt, then remove from the heat and spread on the tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until crisp, then remove and leave to cool. After cooling completely, cut roughly and store in a sealed jar chilled.

Release the cake from the pan move to a plate. Whisk the cream until fluffy, then add into the middle of the cheesecake leaving space around. Add the crunchy bits across the surface, with additional brittle for serving.