Silky, aromatic and perfectly sweetened, this delightful dessert is a celebration of fall coziness. I avoid prepared pumpkin – it lacks depth and flavor – so I recommend to roast some butternut or Kent squash. The oven’s heat coaxes out the inherent sugars removing excess moisture, producing a deep, aromatic mash that gives the cheesecake authentic character. Golden nut brittle completes the dessert: toasty, flavorful and providing a textural contrast complementing the smooth filling.
Autumn Cheesecake and Maple Pecan Brittle
To make about one cup of puree, dice 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin in sections, then roast, lightly covered, in a hot oven until tender without browning. Process until smooth.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 1 hr
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves 8-10
For the Base
- spiced biscuits
- 70g unsalted butter, melted, with more for the tin
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
Cheesecake Mixture
- 500g cream cheese
- 150g caster sugar
- citrus peel
- squash mash (prepared earlier)
- thickener
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- freshly grated nutmeg
- hint of cloves
- room-temperature eggs, warmed slightly
- sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Pecan Garnish
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- fine sugar
- chopped pecans, in chunks
- 1 large pinch flaky sea salt
- whipping cream
Preheat your oven at a moderate heat then butter the entire interior of a 20cm round springform tin. In a food processor the biscuits into crumbs, transfer to a mixing bowl. Incorporate the butter and salt, combine until moistened. Place in the prepared pan, compact it well, cook briefly, then remove and leave to cool.
Turn down the setting to a lower temp. At the same time, place the cheese, sweetener, and zest in a stand mixer, mix using the paddle at a gentle pace to a creamy texture. Mix in the puree, thickener, and seasonings, and beat gently until incorporated. Add the eggs separately, incorporating fully one by one, next include the soured cream and vanilla, and beat until smooth.
Transfer the cheesecake mixture onto the set base even the surface with a small spatula. Give it a gentle shake on a surface to dispel any air bubbles, then cook the cheesecake centered in the oven for about three-quarters of an hour until the sides are firm and the centre is slightly wobbly. Switch off the heat, keep the oven slightly open allowing it to cool for an hour. When cooled, refrigerate for 6+ hours (and up to three days), until firm.
In the meantime, prepare the brittle (up to three days ahead). Preheat the oven to 410F and line a small oven tray with baking paper. Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan and heat slowly gently until dissolved. Add in the nuts and salt, stop heating and scrape into the lined tray. Cook for 8 minutes, until crisp, set aside. Once the brittle is completely hard, break into chunks keeping in a container frozen.
Open the dessert from its tin move to a plate. Whip the cream to soft peaks, then place over the center leaving a 3-4cm border. Sprinkle the brittle over the top, then serve with extra pecan brittle alongside.
