Savor a Smooth Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle

Velvety, spiced and perfectly sweetened, this seasonal treat embodies autumnal comfort. I skip canned puree – the taste is bland and thin – so I prefer of roasting fresh squash varieties. Baking coaxes out the inherent sugars removing extra liquid, resulting in a smooth, flavourful puree which adds real depth. A crunchy pecan topping completes the dessert: caramelized, rich and providing a textural contrast against the cheesecake’s creamy softness.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle

For about one cup of puree, cut a medium squash, peeled and seeded into cubes, bake, lightly covered, at 390F until tender without browning. Process in a high-speed blender.

Prep a brief 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 1 hour
Chill 6 hr+
Serves 8 to 10

Crumb Crust

• spiced biscuits
• 70g unsalted butter, softened, with more for the tin
• sea salt

For the Filling

• 500g cream cheese
• white sugar
• orange zest
• squash mash (prepared earlier)
• thickener
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• warm ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• hint of cloves
• room-temperature eggs, at room temperature
• tangy cream
• pure vanilla

For the Maple Pecan Brittle Topping

• pure maple syrup
• sugar
• 90g pecans, roughly chopped
• sea salt flakes
• heavy cream

Set the oven at a moderate heat and lightly grease the entire interior with a springform pan. Pulse the cookies into crumbs, transfer to a container. Mix in the salty butter, stir coating the crumbs. Tip into the buttered container, even it out, cook briefly, then remove and leave to cool.

Turn down the oven temperature to a lower temp. In the meantime, add the base ingredients into a mixer bowl, then beat using the paddle slowly until well blended. Mix in the puree, thickener, and seasonings, then mix on medium-low until combined. Introduce the eggs individually, mixing thoroughly between each addition, then add the tangy cream and flavoring, whip until fully incorporated.

Scoop the cheesecake mixture over the cooled biscuit base even the surface with a small spatula. Lightly tap the pan on the counter to dispel any air bubbles, then heat the dessert in the middle of the oven for about three-quarters of an hour until the edges are set with a jiggly middle. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and leave the cheesecake to cool for one hour. When cooled, refrigerate for 6+ hours (and up to three days), until firm.

In the meantime, make the pecan brittle (ahead of time). Heat the oven to 410F and prepare a baking sheet using liner. Mix the maple syrup and sugar in a small saucepan and heat slowly gently until dissolved. Stir in the nuts and salt, take off the stove and spread on the tray. Cook for 8 minutes, until crisp, set aside. Once the brittle is completely hard, chop into irregular pieces keeping in a sealed jar chilled.

Remove the cake from the springform place on a serving dish. Whip the cream until fluffy, then spoon into the middle of the cheesecake leaving a 3-4cm border. Scatter most of the pecan brittle on top, offering more on the side.