Indulge in this Smooth Pumpkin Cheesecake featuring Crunchy Maple Pecans

Smooth, flavorful and not overly sugary, this delightful dessert captures fall coziness. I’m not a fan of tinned pumpkin – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I’ve taken the extra step to roast fresh squash varieties. Baking coaxes out its natural sweetness removing excess moisture, resulting in a deep, aromatic mash which adds authentic character. A crunchy pecan topping provides the final flourish: caramelized, rich and with just the right amount of crunch to offset the smooth filling.

Pumpkin Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping

Prepare the pumpkin base, cut 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin into cubes, bake, loosely covered, at 390F until tender without browning. Puree using a powerful blender.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook about 1¾ hours
Cool 1 hr
Chill overnight
Serves 8-10

Crumb Crust

• spiced biscuits
• 70g unsalted butter, liquefied, plus extra for greasing
• sea salt

For the Filling

• soft cheese
• white sugar
• orange zest
• homemade puree (as described above)
• thickener
• cinnamon spice
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves
• room-temperature eggs, not cold
• tangy cream
• pure vanilla

Pecan Garnish

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

Preheat your oven to 185C (165C fan) and lightly grease the entire interior using a cake tin. Using a processor the cookies to fine crumbs, then tip into a mixing bowl. Incorporate the salty butter, stir so the crumbs are evenly damp. Place in the prepared pan, compact it well, heat until set, set aside to cool.

Turn down the heat to a lower temp. In the meantime, place the cheese, sweetener, and zest into a mixer bowl, then beat with the paddle attachment on medium-low until well blended. Mix in the pumpkin puree, cornflour and spices, and beat gently until combined. Introduce the eggs separately, mixing thoroughly one by one, follow with the tangy cream and flavoring, mix until smooth.

Transfer the pumpkin filling on to the cooled biscuit base and smooth the top with a small spatula. Give it a gentle shake on the counter to dispel any air bubbles, then cook the dessert on the middle rack for 45 minutes until the sides are firm with a jiggly middle. Switch off the heat, crack the door open and leave the cheesecake to cool for an hour. Once it’s at room temperature, chill for at least six hours (and up to three days), until completely set.

In the meantime, prepare the brittle (ahead of time). Set the oven to 410F cover a tray with parchment. Stir together the syrup and sweetener in a small saucepan and heat slowly on low for about a minute. Stir in the nuts and salt, then remove from the heat and spread on the tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until caramelized, then remove and leave to cool. When fully hardened, break into chunks keeping in a container in the freezer.

Release the dessert from its tin place on a serving dish. Whisk the cream to a light consistency, then place on top of the cake with a clear edge. Scatter most of the pecan brittle over the top, with additional brittle for serving.