Savor this Silky Pumpkin Cheesecake featuring Crunchy Maple Pecans

Velvety, aromatic and just sweet enough, this delightful dessert embodies fall coziness. I avoid canned puree – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I prefer to roast some butternut or Kent squash. Baking coaxes out the sweet flavor and reduces unwanted water, yielding a smooth, flavourful puree which adds real depth. A crunchy pecan topping completes the dessert: golden, nutty and providing a textural contrast against the cheesecake’s creamy softness.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Crunchy Pecan Topping

To make about one cup of puree, cut fresh pumpkin pieces into cubes, cook, lightly covered, at 390F until tender without browning. Process using a powerful blender.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hr 45 min
Cool 1 hr
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves 8-10

Crumb Crust

• gingersnap cookies
• melted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• sea salt

For the Filling

• 500g cream cheese
• fine sugar
• citrus peel
• 200g pumpkin puree (as described above)
• 2 tsp cornflour
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• warm ginger
• nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves
• 2 large eggs, not cold
• 100ml soured cream
• pure vanilla

Crunchy Finish

• maple sweetener
• fine sugar
• chopped pecans, roughly chopped
• 1 large pinch flaky sea salt
• whipping cream

Preheat your oven to 185C (165C fan) and lightly grease the base and sides of a 20cm round springform tin. Using a processor the biscuits until crumbly, then tip into a medium bowl. Mix in the butter and salt, and mix so the crumbs are evenly damp. Tip into the buttered container, press down firmly, heat until set, take out and cool.

Lower the setting to 355F. At the same time, place the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest into a mixer bowl, mix with the paddle attachment slowly to a creamy texture. Add the pumpkin puree, cornflour and spices, and beat gently until combined. Add the eggs individually, incorporating fully between each addition, next include the tangy cream and flavoring, and beat until combined.

Scoop the pumpkin filling over the prepared crust and smooth the top with a tool. Tap the tin gently on the counter to release trapped air, then cook the cake in the middle of the oven for about three-quarters of an hour with set edges with a jiggly middle. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and leave the cheesecake to cool for 60 minutes. When cooled, cool in the fridge (or for days), until completely set.

While waiting, prepare the brittle (ahead of time). Set the oven to 210C (190C fan) and line a small oven tray with parchment. Stir together the syrup and sweetener in a small saucepan mixing over a low heat for about a minute. Stir in the pecans and sea salt, take off the stove and spread on the tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until crisp, take out and cool. Once the brittle is completely hard, cut roughly place in a sealed jar frozen.

Open the dessert from the springform and transfer to a platter. Whisk the cream until fluffy, then place into the middle of the cheesecake leaving space around. Scatter most of the pecan brittle on top, then serve with extra pecan brittle alongside.