Indulge in a Creamy Autumn Cheesecake with Crunchy Maple Pecans

Smooth, spiced and perfectly sweetened, this seasonal treat captures fall coziness. I skip canned puree – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I’ve taken the extra step of roasting your own pumpkin. The oven’s heat brings out its natural sweetness while evaporating excess moisture, yielding a deep, aromatic mash which adds genuine complexity. Golden nut brittle provides the final flourish: caramelized, rich and with just the right amount of crunch against the smooth filling.

Pumpkin Cheesecake and Maple Pecan Brittle

To make the pumpkin base, chop 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin into cubes, bake, lightly covered, at 390F until tender without browning. Process using a powerful blender.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour 45 minutes
Cool 1 hr
Chill 6 hr+
Serves 8-10

Base Ingredients

• gingersnap cookies
• rich butter, melted, with more for the tin
• ⅛ tsp fine sea salt

For the Filling

• 500g cream cheese
• 150g caster sugar
• citrus peel
• 200g pumpkin puree (as described above)
• thickener
• aromatic cinnamon
• warm ginger
• freshly grated nutmeg
• clove spice
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• tangy cream
• vanilla

Crunchy Finish

• pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• chopped pecans, roughly chopped
• sea salt flakes
• heavy cream

Set the oven to 365F and lightly grease the bottom and edges with a springform pan. Using a processor the ginger nuts to fine crumbs, transfer to a medium bowl. Add the salty butter, stir until moistened. Tip into the greased tin, compact it well, heat until set, take out and cool.

Turn down the setting to a lower temp. In the meantime, place the base ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer, then beat with the paddle attachment on medium-low until well blended. Add the spiced pumpkin mix, then mix gently until combined. Introduce the eggs individually, incorporating fully between each addition, follow with the cream and extract, mix until combined.

Pour the spiced cream onto the set base and smooth the top with a tool. Tap the tin gently on a surface to remove bubbles, then cook the cake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes with set edges and the centre is slightly wobbly. Turn off the oven, crack the door open allowing it to cool for an hour. After cooling, cool in the fridge (and up to three days), until completely set.

In the meantime, prepare the brittle (in advance). Preheat the oven to 410F and line a small oven tray with parchment. Combine the ingredients over heat and stir gently gently for about a minute. Stir in the nuts and salt, then remove from the heat and scrape into the lined tray. Cook for 8 minutes, until golden and bubbly, then remove and leave to cool. When fully hardened, cut roughly place in a sealed jar in the freezer.

Open the dessert from its tin move to a plate. Beat the cream to soft peaks, then spoon into the middle of the cheesecake with a clear edge. Add the crunchy bits on top, offering more on the side.