Savor this Silky Autumn Cheesecake featuring Maple Pecan Brittle

Silky, spiced and not overly sugary, this seasonal treat is a celebration of autumnal comfort. I skip tinned pumpkin – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I prefer to roast some butternut or Kent squash. Roasting coaxes out its natural sweetness and reduces excess moisture, yielding a deep, aromatic mash imparting genuine complexity. A crunchy pecan topping completes the dessert: caramelized, rich and providing a textural contrast complementing the velvety texture.

Pumpkin Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping

Prepare 200g pumpkin puree, chop fresh pumpkin pieces in sections, bake, lightly covered, in a hot oven until soft but not browned. Puree using a powerful blender.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook about 1¾ hours
Cool 60 minutes
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves 8-10

Crumb Crust

• 200g ginger nut biscuits
• rich butter, liquefied, with more for the tin
• ⅛ tsp fine sea salt

For the Filling

• full-fat cream cheese
• fine sugar
• citrus peel
• 200g pumpkin puree (prepared earlier)
• 2 tsp cornflour
• cinnamon spice
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• freshly grated nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves
• room-temperature eggs, warmed slightly
• 100ml soured cream
• vanilla

Pecan Garnish

• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• chopped pecans, in chunks
• 1 large pinch flaky sea salt
• heavy cream

Set the oven at a moderate heat and lightly grease the entire interior with a springform pan. Pulse the cookies until crumbly, place in a container. Mix in the butter and salt, stir so the crumbs are evenly damp. Transfer to the greased tin, even it out, bake for 10 minutes, set aside to cool.

Reduce the oven temperature to 175C (155C fan). At the same time, put the base ingredients in a stand mixer, mix on low speed at a gentle pace until smooth and creamy. Add the spiced pumpkin mix, then mix gently well mixed. Introduce the eggs separately, beating in well after each one, next include the soured cream and vanilla, whip until combined.

Scoop the spiced cream over the cooled biscuit base even the surface using a spatula. Tap the tin gently on a surface to dispel any air bubbles, then heat the cheesecake on the middle rack for about three-quarters of an hour until the edges are set and a soft center. Stop baking, leave the door ajar and leave the cheesecake to cool for 60 minutes. After cooling, refrigerate for 6+ hours (and up to three days), until firm.

In the meantime, prepare the brittle (in advance). Heat the oven to a high temperature and prepare a baking sheet with baking paper. Mix the syrup and sweetener in a pot and heat slowly on low briefly. Stir in the pecans and sea salt, take off the stove transfer to the sheet. Cook for 8 minutes, until crisp, take out and cool. Once the brittle is completely hard, chop into irregular pieces and store in a sealed jar frozen.

Remove the cake from the springform and transfer to a platter. Beat the cream to soft peaks, then spoon into the middle of the cheesecake leaving space around. Add the crunchy bits on top, with additional brittle for serving.