Discover this Smooth Pumpkin Cheesecake featuring Crunchy Maple Pecans

Smooth, flavorful and perfectly sweetened, this seasonal treat is a celebration of harvest warmth. I skip tinned pumpkin – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I’ve taken the extra step baking some butternut or Kent squash. Baking coaxes out the sweet flavor removing excess moisture, resulting in a smooth, flavourful puree imparting genuine complexity. Golden nut brittle adds the perfect finish: caramelized, rich and offering a satisfying crisp to offset the smooth filling.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle

To make about one cup of puree, cut a medium squash, peeled and seeded into cubes, bake, loosely covered, at 200C (180C fan) cooked through but not colored. Blend until smooth.

Prep a brief 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 1 hour
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves about 10 people

For the Base

• 200g ginger nut biscuits
• rich butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
• ⅛ tsp fine sea salt

Creamy Layer

• full-fat cream cheese
• fine sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• squash mash (as described above)
• 2 tsp cornflour
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• nutmeg
• clove spice
• 2 large eggs, not cold
• sour cream
• vanilla

Crunchy Finish

• maple sweetener
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• chopped pecans, in chunks
• a pinch of salt
• whipping cream

Preheat your oven to 185C (165C fan) coat the base and sides with a springform pan. Pulse the cookies until crumbly, transfer to a container. Mix in the melted 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.

Reduce the setting to 175C (155C fan). In the meantime, place the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest into a mixer bowl, whip using the paddle slowly until well blended. Incorporate the pumpkin puree, cornflour and spices, and beat gently well mixed. Mix in eggs one at a time, incorporating fully one by one, then add the cream and extract, whip until combined.

Scoop the spiced cream over the prepared crust and smooth the top with a tool. Lightly tap the pan on a surface to release trapped air, then heat the cake centered in the oven until set until the sides are firm and the centre is slightly wobbly. Turn off the oven, crack the door open and let it cool down for one hour. After cooling, refrigerate for 6+ hours (or longer), until completely set.

Meanwhile, make the pecan brittle (ahead of time). Set the oven to a high temperature and prepare a baking sheet with parchment. Stir together the maple syrup and sugar in a pot mixing on low until dissolved. Add in the pecans and sea salt, take off the stove and scrape into the lined tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until golden and bubbly, take out and cool. After cooling completely, cut roughly keeping in a container frozen.

Release the dessert from the pan move to a plate. Whisk the cream to a light consistency, then spoon over the center leaving space around. Add the crunchy bits over the top, then serve with extra pecan brittle alongside.