Discover a Creamy Autumn Cheesecake with Crunchy Maple Pecans
Velvety, flavorful and not overly sugary, this seasonal treat embodies harvest warmth. I’m not a fan of prepared pumpkin – the taste is bland and thin – so I prefer baking fresh squash varieties. Roasting enhances its natural sweetness while evaporating extra liquid, yielding a rich, tasty base imparting real depth. The maple pecan brittle provides the final flourish: golden, nutty and with just the right amount of crunch against the velvety texture.
Autumn Cheesecake and Maple Pecan Brittle
For about one cup of puree, chop a medium squash, peeled and seeded into chunks, then roast, loosely covered, at 390F cooked through but not colored. Puree until smooth.
Prep a brief 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 60 minutes
Chill 6 hr+
Serves 8 to 10
Crumb Crust
- spiced biscuits
- rich butter, softened, and some for coating
- sea salt
Cheesecake Mixture
- soft cheese
- fine sugar
- orange zest
- 200g pumpkin puree (prepared earlier)
- cornstarch
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- warm ginger
- freshly grated nutmeg
- clove spice
- room-temperature eggs, at room temperature
- sour cream
- pure vanilla
For the Maple Pecan Brittle Topping
- maple sweetener
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 90g pecans, roughly chopped
- a pinch of salt
- heavy cream
Set the oven to 185C (165C fan) and lightly grease the base and sides with a springform pan. In a food processor the ginger nuts into crumbs, then tip into a container. Incorporate the salty butter, and mix so the crumbs are evenly damp. Transfer to the greased tin, press down firmly, cook briefly, take out and cool.
Reduce the oven temperature to 175C (155C fan). In the meantime, add the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest in a stand mixer, whip with the paddle attachment slowly until well blended. Mix in the pumpkin puree, cornflour and spices, then mix at low speed until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in well after each one, follow with the tangy cream and flavoring, whip until smooth.
Scoop the spiced cream onto the cooled biscuit base level it out with a small spatula. Tap the tin gently on a worktop to dispel any air bubbles, then heat the cheesecake on the middle rack for about three-quarters of an hour with set edges with a jiggly middle. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and leave the cheesecake to cool for one hour. After cooling, cool in the fridge (and up to three days), until firm.
Meanwhile, prepare the brittle (ahead of time). Set the oven to 210C (190C fan) cover a tray with baking paper. Combine the ingredients in a pot and stir gently on low for about a minute. Mix the nuts and salt, take off the stove and spread on the tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until caramelized, take out and cool. After cooling completely, cut roughly place in a sealed jar chilled.
Open the dessert from its tin place on a serving dish. Beat the cream until fluffy, then place over the center leaving a 3-4cm border. Add the crunchy bits across the surface, offering more on the side.