Savor this Silky Autumn Cheesecake with Crunchy Maple Pecans

Velvety, flavorful and just sweet enough, this pumpkin cheesecake is a celebration of harvest warmth. I avoid tinned pumpkin – it lacks depth and flavor – so I’ve taken the extra step to roast your own pumpkin. Baking enhances its natural sweetness and reduces excess moisture, resulting in a rich, tasty base which adds genuine complexity. Golden nut brittle provides the final flourish: caramelized, rich and with just the right amount of crunch complementing the cheesecake’s creamy softness.

Pumpkin Cheesecake and Maple Pecan Brittle

For 200g pumpkin puree, dice 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin into chunks, then roast, loosely covered, in a hot oven cooked through but not colored. Process until smooth.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 1 hour
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves 8-10

Base Ingredients

• spiced biscuits
• 70g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• ⅛ tsp fine sea salt

Creamy Layer

• full-fat cream cheese
• white sugar
• citrus peel
• homemade puree (as described above)
• thickener
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• ginger powder
• nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves
• room-temperature eggs, warmed slightly
• sour cream
• vanilla

Crunchy Finish

• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• nut pieces, coarsely cut
• a pinch of salt
• 150ml double cream

Set the oven to 365F coat the entire interior using a cake tin. In a food processor the cookies into crumbs, then tip into a container. Add the salty butter, and mix until moistened. Transfer to the buttered container, compact it well, heat until set, then remove and leave to cool.

Turn down the setting to a lower temp. In the meantime, put the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest into a mixer bowl, then beat on low speed on medium-low until well blended. Add the pumpkin puree, cornflour and spices, and beat on medium-low well mixed. Introduce the eggs individually, beating in well between each addition, follow with the soured cream and vanilla, whip until fully incorporated.

Scoop the spiced cream onto the prepared crust even the surface using a spatula. Give it a gentle shake on a surface to remove bubbles, then cook the cake in the middle of the oven until set until the edges are set and the centre is slightly wobbly. Turn off the oven, keep the oven slightly open and leave the cheesecake to cool for one hour. Once it’s at room temperature, cool in the fridge (and up to three days), until firm.

In the meantime, prepare the brittle (in advance). Heat the oven to 210C (190C fan) cover a tray with parchment. Combine the ingredients in a pot and heat slowly on low for about a minute. Stir in the chopped pecans, take off the stove and spread on the tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until caramelized, take out and cool. When fully hardened, break into chunks place in a container chilled.

Open the cheesecake from its tin place on a serving dish. Whisk the cream to soft peaks, then add into the middle of the cheesecake with a clear edge. Add the crunchy bits across the surface, with additional brittle for serving.