Discover this Silky Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle
Velvety, spiced and just sweet enough, this pumpkin cheesecake embodies harvest warmth. I skip prepared pumpkin – it lacks depth and flavor – so I recommend baking some butternut or Kent squash. The oven’s heat coaxes out the inherent sugars and reduces unwanted water, resulting in a rich, tasty base which adds authentic character. A crunchy pecan topping adds the perfect finish: toasty, flavorful and providing a textural contrast complementing the velvety texture.
Pumpkin Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping
To make about one cup of puree, cut fresh pumpkin pieces into chunks, bake, loosely covered, at 200C (180C fan) cooked through but not colored. Process using a powerful blender.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 1 hour
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves 8 to 10
Crumb Crust
- spiced biscuits
- 70g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
Creamy Layer
- full-fat cream cheese
- fine sugar
- citrus peel
- squash mash (see introduction)
- cornstarch
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- nutmeg
- clove spice
- room-temperature eggs, warmed slightly
- tangy cream
- vanilla
Crunchy Finish
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- fine sugar
- nut pieces, in chunks
- sea salt flakes
- heavy cream
Preheat your oven to 185C (165C fan) coat the entire interior of a 20cm round springform tin. Using a processor the ginger nuts until crumbly, then tip into a container. Add the melted butter and salt, and mix until moistened. Transfer to the buttered container, compact it well, cook briefly, set aside to cool.
Turn down the heat to 355F. Meanwhile, put the cheese, sweetener, and zest into a mixer bowl, mix with the paddle attachment at a gentle pace to a creamy texture. Add the puree, thickener, and seasonings, then mix gently until combined. Introduce the eggs separately, beating in well between each addition, next include the soured cream and vanilla, mix until combined.
Transfer the spiced cream over the cooled biscuit base even the surface with a tool. Lightly tap the pan on the counter to remove bubbles, then cook the cake centered in the oven until set until the sides are firm with a jiggly middle. Stop baking, crack the door open and let it cool down for an hour. After cooling, cool in the fridge (or for days), until firm.
While waiting, prepare the brittle (ahead of time). Set the oven to a high temperature and line a small oven tray with parchment. Stir together the syrup and sweetener in a small saucepan mixing on low for about a minute. Add in the chopped pecans, then remove from the heat and scrape into the lined tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until caramelized, then remove and leave to cool. When fully hardened, chop into irregular pieces place in a sealed jar in the freezer.
Open the dessert from its tin place on a serving dish. Beat the cream until fluffy, then place into the middle of the cheesecake leaving space around. Add the crunchy bits over the top, with additional brittle for serving.
