Smooth, flavorful and just sweet enough, this delightful dessert embodies harvest warmth. I avoid canned puree – it lacks depth and flavor – so I prefer of roasting your own pumpkin. Baking enhances the sweet flavor and reduces unwanted water, yielding a smooth, flavourful puree imparting authentic character. Golden nut brittle adds the perfect finish: golden, nutty and providing a textural contrast against the cheesecake’s creamy softness.
Autumn Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping
To make about one cup of puree, chop a medium squash, peeled and seeded into chunks, bake, with a cover, at 200C (180C fan) until soft but not browned. Process in a high-speed blender.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 60 minutes
Chill 6 hr+
Serves about 10 people
For the Base
- 200g ginger nut biscuits
- rich butter, liquefied, with more for the tin
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
For the Filling
- full-fat cream cheese
- 150g caster sugar
- orange zest
- 200g pumpkin puree (see introduction)
- cornstarch
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- warm ginger
- freshly grated nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- room-temperature eggs, not cold
- sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Maple Pecan Brittle Topping
- maple sweetener
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 90g pecans, in chunks
- sea salt flakes
- 150ml double cream
Preheat your oven to 185C (165C fan) then butter the entire interior of a 20cm round springform tin. Pulse the biscuits until crumbly, place in a mixing bowl. Add the salty butter, and mix so the crumbs are evenly damp. Place in the buttered container, even it out, bake for 10 minutes, take out and cool.
Reduce the heat to 175C (155C fan). At the same time, place the base ingredients into a mixer bowl, whip on low speed slowly to a creamy texture. Add the puree, thickener, and seasonings, and beat gently well mixed. Mix in eggs individually, beating in well between each addition, next include the cream and extract, whip until smooth.
Transfer the pumpkin filling over the prepared crust even the surface with a small spatula. Lightly tap the pan on a surface to remove bubbles, then heat the cake centered in the oven until set with set edges and the centre is slightly wobbly. Stop baking, keep the oven slightly open and let it cool down for 60 minutes. When cooled, cool in the fridge (or longer), until firm.
In the meantime, create the topping (up to three days ahead). Heat the oven to 210C (190C fan) and line a small oven tray using liner. Combine the maple syrup and sugar over heat mixing on low until dissolved. Stir in the nuts and salt, take off the stove and scrape into the lined tray. Heat until golden, until crisp, take out and cool. After cooling completely, chop into irregular pieces place in an airtight container frozen.
Release the cheesecake from its tin move to a plate. Beat the cream until fluffy, then spoon on top of the cake leaving space around. Scatter most of the pecan brittle over the top, then serve with extra pecan brittle alongside.
