Savor a Silky Pumpkin Cheesecake featuring Maple Pecan Brittle
Silky, flavorful and perfectly sweetened, this seasonal treat is a celebration of fall coziness. I skip tinned pumpkin – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I’ve taken the extra step to roast your own pumpkin. Roasting coaxes out the inherent sugars while evaporating unwanted water, yielding a deep, aromatic mash which adds genuine complexity. Golden nut brittle adds the perfect finish: toasty, flavorful and with just the right amount of crunch to offset the smooth filling.
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle
Prepare about one cup of puree, cut fresh pumpkin pieces in sections, then roast, with a cover, at 390F cooked through but not colored. Puree in a high-speed blender.
Prep a brief 10 minutes
Cook 1 hr 45 min
Cool 60 minutes
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves about 10 people
Crumb Crust
- gingersnap cookies
- rich butter, softened, with more for the tin
- a pinch of salt
For the Filling
- 500g cream cheese
- white sugar
- orange zest
- homemade puree (see introduction)
- 2 tsp cornflour
- cinnamon spice
- ginger powder
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- clove spice
- 2 large eggs, not cold
- 100ml soured cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Pecan Garnish
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- fine sugar
- chopped pecans, in chunks
- sea salt flakes
- whipping cream
Preheat your oven to 185C (165C fan) then butter the bottom and edges with a springform pan. In a food processor the biscuits until crumbly, then tip into a mixing bowl. Mix in the melted butter and salt, stir until moistened. Transfer to the prepared pan, press down firmly, bake for 10 minutes, take out and cool.
Reduce the heat to 355F. At the same time, put the base ingredients in a stand mixer, mix on low speed slowly until well blended. Add the pumpkin puree, cornflour and spices, then mix gently well mixed. Mix in eggs individually, beating in well after each one, follow with the soured cream and vanilla, and beat until smooth.
Transfer the spiced cream over the set base level it out using a spatula. Give it a gentle shake on a worktop to remove bubbles, then bake the dessert centered in the oven for about three-quarters of an hour with set edges with a jiggly middle. Switch off the heat, leave the door ajar allowing it to cool for an hour. Once it’s at room temperature, refrigerate for 6+ hours (or for days), until fully chilled.
Meanwhile, prepare the brittle (ahead of time). Heat the oven to 210C (190C fan) and prepare a baking sheet using liner. Combine the ingredients over heat mixing over a low heat until dissolved. Add in the chopped pecans, stop heating and scrape into the lined tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until golden and bubbly, set aside. Once the brittle is completely hard, chop into irregular pieces and store in an airtight container chilled.
Open the dessert from the springform and transfer to a platter. Whisk the cream to soft peaks, then add into the middle of the cheesecake leaving space around. Add the crunchy bits over the top, then serve with extra pecan brittle alongside.
