Savor this Silky Autumn Cheesecake featuring Crunchy Maple Pecans

Silky, aromatic and perfectly sweetened, this delightful dessert embodies fall coziness. I skip canned puree – the taste is bland and thin – so I recommend of roasting your own pumpkin. Baking enhances the sweet flavor while evaporating extra liquid, resulting in a rich, tasty base imparting real depth. Golden nut brittle provides the final flourish: toasty, flavorful and with just the right amount of crunch to offset the smooth filling.

Autumn Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle

For about one cup of puree, dice a medium squash, peeled and seeded in sections, then roast, loosely covered, at 200C (180C fan) cooked through but not colored. Puree until smooth.

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

Crumb Crust

• spiced biscuits
• rich butter, liquefied, plus extra for greasing
• sea salt

Cheesecake Mixture

• soft cheese
• 150g caster sugar
• citrus peel
• squash mash (prepared earlier)
• cornstarch
• aromatic cinnamon
• ginger powder
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 100ml soured cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Maple Pecan Brittle Topping

• maple sweetener
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 90g pecans, coarsely cut
• sea salt flakes
• whipping cream

Set the oven at a moderate heat then butter the bottom and edges using a cake tin. Using a processor the cookies into crumbs, then tip into a mixing bowl. Mix in the butter and salt, stir coating the crumbs. Place in the greased tin, even it out, bake for 10 minutes, take out and cool.

Reduce the oven temperature to 355F. In the meantime, add the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest into a mixer bowl, mix using the paddle on medium-low until smooth and creamy. Mix in the puree, thickener, and seasonings, and beat gently until combined. Introduce the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly one by one, follow with the tangy cream and flavoring, and beat until combined.

Scoop the pumpkin filling onto the cooled biscuit base level it out with a tool. Give it a gentle shake on the counter to remove bubbles, then heat the dessert centered in the oven until set until the edges are set with a jiggly middle. Switch off the heat, leave the door ajar and leave the cheesecake to cool for an hour. When cooled, cool in the fridge (and up to three days), until completely set.

Meanwhile, prepare the brittle (in advance). Preheat the oven to 410F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment. Stir together the syrup and sweetener over heat and stir gently over a low heat for about a minute. Stir 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. Once the brittle is completely hard, cut roughly place in an airtight container frozen.

Release the cake from its tin and transfer to a platter. Whisk the cream until fluffy, then place over the center with a clear edge. Sprinkle the brittle over the top, with additional brittle for serving.