Indulge in this Creamy Autumn Cheesecake featuring Maple Pecan Brittle

Smooth, flavorful and perfectly sweetened, this delightful dessert embodies fall coziness. I skip canned puree – it lacks depth and flavor – so I prefer baking some butternut or Kent squash. Roasting coaxes out its natural sweetness while evaporating excess moisture, producing a smooth, flavourful puree that gives the cheesecake authentic character. Golden nut brittle adds the perfect finish: caramelized, rich and providing a textural contrast complementing the velvety texture.

Autumn Cheesecake and Maple Pecan Brittle

For 200g pumpkin puree, dice fresh pumpkin pieces into cubes, cook, lightly covered, at 200C (180C fan) cooked through but not colored. Puree until smooth.

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

Crumb Crust

• 200g ginger nut biscuits
• melted butter, melted, and some for coating
• ⅛ tsp fine sea salt

Cheesecake Mixture

• full-fat cream cheese
• white sugar
• citrus peel
• homemade puree (as described above)
• 2 tsp cornflour
• aromatic cinnamon
• ginger powder
• nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves
• fresh eggs, at room temperature
• tangy cream
• pure vanilla

Pecan Garnish

• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• sugar
• 90g pecans, in chunks
• sea salt flakes
• 150ml double cream

Heat the oven at a moderate heat coat the base and sides with a springform pan. In a food processor the ginger nuts into crumbs, then tip into a container. Incorporate the melted butter and salt, combine until moistened. Transfer to the greased tin, press down firmly, heat until set, take out and cool.

Lower the oven temperature to 175C (155C fan). Meanwhile, add the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest in a stand mixer, mix with the paddle attachment slowly until smooth and creamy. Add the spiced pumpkin mix, then mix gently until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly one by one, then add the tangy cream and flavoring, whip until fully incorporated.

Scoop the cheesecake mixture onto the cooled biscuit base even the surface with a small spatula. Give it a gentle shake on a worktop to dispel any air bubbles, then bake the cake centered in the oven for 45 minutes until the edges are set with a jiggly middle. Stop baking, crack the door open allowing it to cool for an hour. Once it’s at room temperature, refrigerate for 6+ hours (or longer), until fully chilled.

While waiting, prepare the brittle (in advance). Heat the oven to a high temperature and prepare a baking sheet with baking paper. Mix the maple syrup and sugar in a pot and heat slowly over a low heat briefly. Mix the chopped pecans, take off the stove transfer to the sheet. Heat until golden, until crisp, then remove and leave to cool. When fully hardened, break into chunks place in a container chilled.

Release the cake from its tin move to a plate. Whisk the cream to a light consistency, then spoon over the center leaving a 3-4cm border. Scatter most of the pecan brittle across the surface, with additional brittle for serving.