Savor a Silky Autumn Cheesecake with Crunchy Maple Pecans
Silky, spiced and perfectly sweetened, this delightful dessert is a celebration of autumnal comfort. I’m not a fan of tinned pumpkin – the taste is bland and thin – so I prefer to roast fresh squash varieties. Baking coaxes out the inherent sugars and reduces unwanted water, resulting in a rich, tasty base imparting authentic character. A crunchy pecan topping provides the final flourish: golden, nutty and offering a satisfying crisp against the velvety texture.
Autumn Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping
To make the pumpkin base, chop a medium squash, peeled and seeded in sections, then roast, loosely covered, in a hot oven cooked through but not colored. Process using a powerful blender.
Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 1 hour
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves 8-10
For the Base
- gingersnap cookies
- rich butter, liquefied, and some for coating
- sea salt
Cheesecake Mixture
- full-fat cream cheese
- white sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- squash mash (as described above)
- thickener
- aromatic cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- hint of cloves
- fresh eggs, at room temperature
- sour cream
- pure vanilla
Pecan Garnish
- maple sweetener
- sugar
- nut pieces, coarsely cut
- sea salt flakes
- heavy cream
Preheat your oven at a moderate heat coat the entire interior of a 20cm round springform tin. In a food processor the biscuits until crumbly, then tip into a medium bowl. Add the salty butter, and mix coating the crumbs. Place in the buttered container, press down firmly, cook briefly, set aside to cool.
Turn down the oven temperature to 355F. Meanwhile, place the base ingredients into a mixer bowl, mix using the paddle at a gentle pace until well blended. Mix in the spiced pumpkin mix, blend on medium-low until combined. Mix in eggs individually, mixing thoroughly one by one, follow with the soured cream and vanilla, whip until fully incorporated.
Pour the cheesecake mixture on to the set base level it out using a spatula. Give it a gentle shake on the counter to remove bubbles, then cook the dessert centered in the oven for 45 minutes with set edges and a soft center. Turn off the oven, crack the door open and let it cool down for 60 minutes. When cooled, cool in the fridge (or longer), until completely set.
Meanwhile, make the pecan brittle (ahead of time). Set the oven to 210C (190C fan) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment. Stir together the ingredients in a pot and heat slowly on low for about a minute. Add in the pecans and sea salt, then remove from the heat and spread on the tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until caramelized, take out and cool. Once the brittle is completely hard, break into chunks keeping in an airtight container in the freezer.
Release the cheesecake from its tin place on a serving dish. Whip the cream to a light consistency, then place on top of the cake leaving space around. Add the crunchy bits on top, with additional brittle for serving.