Indulge in this Silky Autumn Cheesecake featuring Crunchy Maple Pecans

Smooth, aromatic and perfectly sweetened, this delightful dessert captures autumnal comfort. I avoid tinned pumpkin – the taste is bland and thin – so I recommend to roast your own pumpkin. Roasting enhances the inherent sugars and reduces extra liquid, resulting in a deep, aromatic mash which adds genuine complexity. Golden nut brittle completes the dessert: golden, nutty and offering a satisfying crisp against the smooth filling.

Autumn Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping

For 200g pumpkin puree, chop fresh pumpkin pieces into chunks, cook, with a cover, in a hot oven until soft but not browned. Process until smooth.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook about 1¾ hours
Cool 1 hour
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves 8 to 10

Base Ingredients

• gingersnap cookies
• rich butter, melted, and some for coating
• sea salt

Creamy Layer

• full-fat cream cheese
• white sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 200g pumpkin puree (as described above)
• thickener
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• warm ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves
• room-temperature eggs, at room temperature
• 100ml soured cream
• vanilla

Pecan Garnish

• maple sweetener
• sugar
• nut pieces, roughly chopped
• 1 large pinch flaky sea salt
• heavy cream

Set the oven to 185C (165C fan) then butter the base and sides using a cake tin. Using a processor the cookies until crumbly, transfer to a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and salt, stir so the crumbs are evenly damp. Transfer to the buttered container, even it out, cook briefly, then remove and leave to cool.

Turn down the oven temperature to 175C (155C fan). At the same time, place the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest into a mixer bowl, mix on low speed slowly to a creamy texture. Incorporate the pumpkin puree, cornflour and spices, then mix gently well mixed. Mix in eggs separately, incorporating fully one by one, follow with the cream and extract, mix until smooth.

Transfer the pumpkin filling onto the prepared crust level it out with a tool. Give it a gentle shake on a surface to remove bubbles, then cook the dessert in the middle of the oven until set until the edges are set and a soft center. Switch off the heat, keep the oven slightly open allowing it to cool for 60 minutes. After cooling, cool in the fridge (or longer), until fully chilled.

Meanwhile, prepare the brittle (ahead of time). Set the oven to a high temperature and prepare a baking sheet with parchment. Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan and stir gently gently for about a minute. Stir in the nuts and salt, take off the stove and spread on the tray. Bake for about eight minutes, until golden and bubbly, then remove and leave to cool. After cooling completely, chop into irregular pieces keeping in a sealed jar frozen.

Release the cake from its tin move to a plate. Whip the cream to a light consistency, then spoon over the center with a clear edge. Sprinkle the brittle over the top, offering more on the side.