Discover a Silky Pumpkin Cheesecake featuring Crunchy Maple Pecans

Silky, flavorful and perfectly sweetened, this seasonal treat captures fall coziness. I skip tinned pumpkin – it lacks depth and flavor – so I prefer to roast fresh squash varieties. The oven’s heat enhances its natural sweetness removing unwanted water, yielding a smooth, flavourful puree which adds authentic character. The maple pecan brittle adds the perfect finish: toasty, flavorful and with just the right amount of crunch complementing the cheesecake’s creamy softness.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Crunchy Pecan Topping

For about one cup of puree, chop 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin into chunks, bake, lightly covered, at 390F cooked through but not colored. Puree in a high-speed blender.

Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 60 minutes
Chill overnight
Serves 8 to 10

Base Ingredients

• 200g ginger nut biscuits
• 70g unsalted butter, liquefied, with more for the tin
• ⅛ tsp fine sea salt

Creamy Layer

• 500g cream cheese
• white sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 200g pumpkin puree (see introduction)
• thickener
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• freshly grated nutmeg
• hint of cloves
• room-temperature eggs, at room temperature
• 100ml soured cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Pecan Garnish

• pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• chopped pecans, coarsely cut
• 1 large pinch flaky sea salt
• 150ml double cream

Set the oven to 185C (165C fan) coat the bottom and edges of a 20cm round springform tin. Using a processor the ginger nuts into crumbs, transfer to a mixing bowl. Mix in the butter and salt, stir until moistened. Tip into the prepared pan, compact it well, cook briefly, take out and cool.

Lower the setting to 175C (155C fan). In the meantime, add the base ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer, whip with the paddle attachment slowly until well blended. Mix in the spiced pumpkin mix, then mix at low speed until incorporated. Introduce the eggs one at a time, incorporating fully one by one, next include the soured cream and vanilla, and beat until smooth.

Pour the cheesecake mixture over the set base and smooth the top with a tool. Give it a gentle shake on a surface to release trapped air, then bake the dessert centered in the oven for about three-quarters of an hour with set edges and a soft center. Turn off the oven, keep the oven slightly open allowing it to cool for an hour. Once it’s at room temperature, refrigerate for 6+ hours (or for days), until completely set.

In the meantime, create the topping (up to three days ahead). Heat the oven to a high temperature and line a small oven tray using liner. Stir together the maple syrup and sugar over heat and stir gently on low briefly. Stir in the pecans and sea salt, stop heating and scrape into the lined tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until caramelized, then remove and leave to cool. Once the brittle is completely hard, break into chunks keeping in a sealed jar in the freezer.

Release the cheesecake from the springform move to a plate. Beat the cream to a light consistency, then place over the center leaving a 3-4cm border. Add the crunchy bits on top, then serve with extra pecan brittle alongside.