Savor this Smooth Pumpkin Cheesecake featuring Crunchy Maple Pecans
Velvety, flavorful and not overly sugary, this delightful dessert is a celebration of fall coziness. I skip prepared pumpkin – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I’ve taken the extra step of roasting some butternut or Kent squash. Roasting brings out the sweet flavor and reduces excess moisture, resulting in a smooth, flavourful puree that gives the cheesecake authentic character. The maple pecan brittle adds the perfect finish: caramelized, rich and with just the right amount of crunch against the velvety texture.
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Crunchy Pecan Topping
For about one cup of puree, chop a medium squash, peeled and seeded in sections, then roast, lightly covered, at 200C (180C fan) until tender without browning. Blend using a powerful blender.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 60 minutes
Chill overnight
Serves 8 to 10
For the Base
- 200g ginger nut biscuits
- 70g unsalted butter, melted, with more for the tin
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
Creamy Layer
- soft cheese
- fine sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- 200g pumpkin puree (prepared earlier)
- 2 tsp cornflour
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- hint of cloves
- fresh eggs, warmed slightly
- 100ml soured cream
- pure vanilla
Crunchy Finish
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- fine sugar
- chopped pecans, in chunks
- a pinch of salt
- heavy cream
Set the oven at a moderate heat and lightly grease the entire interior of a 20cm round springform tin. Using a processor the cookies into crumbs, place in a container. Incorporate the melted butter and salt, and mix until moistened. Transfer to the greased tin, press down firmly, heat until set, take out and cool.
Lower the heat to 175C (155C fan). In the meantime, place the base ingredients into a mixer bowl, then beat on low speed on medium-low until well blended. Incorporate the spiced pumpkin mix, and beat on medium-low until combined. Mix in eggs separately, incorporating fully one by one, then add the cream and extract, whip until smooth.
Scoop the cheesecake mixture onto the prepared crust and smooth the top using a spatula. Tap the tin gently on a worktop to dispel any air bubbles, then bake the cake centered in the oven for 45 minutes until the edges are set and a soft center. Switch off the heat, crack the door open and leave the cheesecake to cool for an hour. Once it’s at room temperature, refrigerate for 6+ hours (or longer), until fully chilled.
In the meantime, prepare the brittle (ahead of time). Heat the oven to a high temperature cover a tray with parchment. Stir together the syrup and sweetener in a small saucepan and stir gently over a low heat until dissolved. Stir in the chopped pecans, then remove from the heat transfer to the sheet. Bake for about eight minutes, until caramelized, then remove and leave to cool. When fully hardened, cut roughly keeping in an airtight container in the freezer.
Open the dessert from the springform move to a plate. Whisk the cream to soft peaks, then add into the middle of the cheesecake leaving a 3-4cm border. Scatter most of the pecan brittle across the surface, offering more on the side.
