Savor a Silky Pumpkin Cheesecake featuring Maple Pecan Brittle
Silky, aromatic and just sweet enough, this seasonal treat is a celebration of fall coziness. I avoid prepared pumpkin – the taste is bland and thin – so I recommend of roasting some butternut or Kent squash. Roasting coaxes out the inherent sugars while evaporating excess moisture, yielding a deep, aromatic mash which adds authentic character. A crunchy pecan topping adds the perfect finish: toasty, flavorful and providing a textural contrast against the smooth filling.
Autumn Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping
Prepare about one cup of puree, dice 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin in sections, then roast, loosely covered, at 200C (180C fan) until tender without browning. Blend in a high-speed blender.
Prep a brief 10 minutes
Cook about 1¾ hours
Cool 60 minutes
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves 8-10
Crumb Crust
- gingersnap cookies
- rich butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- a pinch of salt
For the Filling
- soft cheese
- fine sugar
- orange zest
- squash mash (prepared earlier)
- 2 tsp cornflour
- aromatic cinnamon
- ginger powder
- freshly grated nutmeg
- clove spice
- room-temperature eggs, warmed slightly
- sour cream
- vanilla
Crunchy Finish
- pure maple syrup
- fine sugar
- 90g pecans, in chunks
- 1 large pinch flaky sea salt
- whipping cream
Preheat your oven to 365F then butter the bottom and edges with a springform pan. Using a processor the biscuits until crumbly, then tip into a mixing bowl. Add the butter and salt, combine until moistened. Transfer to the prepared pan, press down firmly, heat until set, take out and cool.
Reduce the setting to 355F. Meanwhile, put the cheese, sweetener, and zest into a mixer bowl, mix on low speed slowly until smooth and creamy. Mix in the puree, thickener, and seasonings, then mix gently until incorporated. Introduce the eggs individually, incorporating fully after each one, next include the tangy cream and flavoring, whip until combined.
Scoop the pumpkin filling on to the prepared crust and smooth the top with a small spatula. Lightly tap the pan on a worktop to dispel any air bubbles, then heat the cheesecake in the middle of the oven until set with set edges with a jiggly middle. Stop baking, keep the oven slightly open and leave the cheesecake to cool for one hour. When cooled, chill for at least six hours (and up to three days), until firm.
While waiting, make the pecan brittle (ahead of time). Set the oven to a high temperature and prepare a baking sheet with parchment. Mix the syrup and sweetener in a pot and heat slowly on low briefly. Add in the chopped pecans, then remove from the heat and scrape into the lined tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until golden and bubbly, set aside. When fully hardened, chop into irregular pieces place in an airtight container in the freezer.
Remove the cake from the springform move to a plate. Whip the cream to a light consistency, then place over the center leaving a 3-4cm border. Add the crunchy bits across the surface, with additional brittle for serving.
