Discover this Creamy Autumn Cheesecake with Crunchy Maple Pecans
Smooth, flavorful and perfectly sweetened, this pumpkin cheesecake captures autumnal comfort. I’m not a fan of prepared pumpkin – the taste is bland and thin – so I prefer of roasting your own pumpkin. Roasting coaxes out the sweet flavor and reduces extra liquid, producing a rich, tasty base that gives the cheesecake authentic character. Golden nut brittle provides the final flourish: golden, nutty and with just the right amount of crunch complementing the smooth filling.
Autumn Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping
For 200g pumpkin puree, chop 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin in sections, bake, lightly covered, at 200C (180C fan) until soft but not browned. Puree using a powerful blender.
Prep 10 min
Cook about 1¾ hours
Cool 60 minutes
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves 8-10
Base Ingredients
- spiced biscuits
- rich butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
Cheesecake Mixture
- full-fat cream cheese
- 150g caster sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- squash mash (prepared earlier)
- cornstarch
- cinnamon spice
- warm ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- clove spice
- fresh eggs, not cold
- 100ml soured cream
- vanilla
Crunchy Finish
- maple sweetener
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 90g pecans, roughly chopped
- a pinch of salt
- 150ml double cream
Preheat your oven to 365F then butter the base and sides using a cake tin. Using a processor the biscuits to fine crumbs, then tip into a container. Mix in the salty butter, stir coating the crumbs. Transfer to the buttered container, press down firmly, cook briefly, set aside to cool.
Reduce the setting to 355F. Meanwhile, place the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest in a stand mixer, then beat using the paddle slowly until well blended. Incorporate the pumpkin puree, cornflour and spices, blend on medium-low until combined. Mix in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition, then add the cream and extract, mix until smooth.
Transfer the spiced cream onto the cooled biscuit base level it out with a tool. Lightly tap the pan on the counter to remove bubbles, then cook the cheesecake on the middle rack until set until the edges are set and a soft center. Stop baking, crack the door open and leave the cheesecake to cool for one hour. Once it’s at room temperature, cool in the fridge (or for days), until fully chilled.
While waiting, create the topping (in advance). Preheat the oven to 410F and prepare a baking sheet using liner. Combine the ingredients over heat and heat slowly on low for about a minute. Mix the chopped pecans, then remove from the heat transfer to the sheet. Heat until golden, until crisp, take out and cool. Once the brittle is completely hard, cut roughly and store in a sealed jar in the freezer.
Open the cake from the springform and transfer to a platter. Whip the cream until fluffy, then spoon over the center leaving space around. Add the crunchy bits over the top, with additional brittle for serving.
