Discover a Smooth Pumpkin Cheesecake featuring Crunchy Maple Pecans

Smooth, spiced and not overly sugary, this delightful dessert captures harvest warmth. I’m not a fan of canned puree – it lacks depth and flavor – so I’ve taken the extra step of roasting some butternut or Kent squash. Baking enhances the inherent sugars while evaporating excess moisture, producing a deep, aromatic mash imparting real depth. Golden nut brittle provides the final flourish: caramelized, rich and with just the right amount of crunch to offset the velvety texture.

Pumpkin Cheesecake and Maple Pecan Brittle

For the pumpkin base, dice a medium squash, peeled and seeded into cubes, bake, loosely covered, in a hot oven cooked through but not colored. Blend in a high-speed blender.

Prep a brief 10 minutes
Cook 1 hr 45 min
Cool 1 hr
Chill overnight
Serves 8 to 10

Crumb Crust

• spiced biscuits
• melted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
• a pinch of salt

For the Filling

• 500g cream cheese
• white sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• squash mash (prepared earlier)
• thickener
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• warm ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• clove spice
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Crunchy Finish

• maple sweetener
• sugar
• nut pieces, roughly chopped
• a pinch of salt
• 150ml double cream

Preheat your oven to 185C (165C fan) then butter the entire interior of a 20cm round springform tin. Pulse the biscuits to fine crumbs, then tip into a container. Add the butter and salt, combine so the crumbs are evenly damp. Transfer to the greased tin, press down firmly, heat until set, take out and cool.

Turn down the heat to 175C (155C fan). At the same time, add the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest in a stand mixer, whip on low speed slowly to a creamy texture. Incorporate the puree, thickener, and seasonings, and beat gently until incorporated. Mix in eggs individually, incorporating fully one by one, then add the soured cream and vanilla, mix until fully incorporated.

Transfer the spiced cream onto the prepared crust level it out using a spatula. Tap the tin gently on a surface to dispel any air bubbles, then bake the dessert on the middle rack for about three-quarters of an hour until the sides are firm and a soft center. Stop baking, crack the door open and leave the cheesecake to cool for one hour. When cooled, refrigerate for 6+ hours (or longer), until fully chilled.

While waiting, create the topping (in advance). Preheat the oven to 410F cover a tray using liner. Combine the maple syrup and sugar over heat and heat slowly gently until dissolved. Add in the chopped pecans, take off the stove and scrape into the lined tray. Heat until golden, until crisp, then remove and leave to cool. Once the brittle is completely hard, chop into irregular pieces keeping in a sealed jar in the freezer.

Open the dessert from its tin and transfer to a platter. Whip the cream to soft peaks, then place over the center leaving a 3-4cm border. Sprinkle the brittle on top, with additional brittle for serving.