No-Bake Pecan Pie Cheesecake

If I had to choose between no-bake cheesecakes and baked, no-bake wins for me every time! I had some leftover pecans from my cherry muffins, and with Thanksgiving and Christmas approaching, I knew that I had to get some festive spices out of the cupboard and whip something up, rather than just eating them as they are.

If you celebrate Thanksgiving, this could be the perfect dessert for your banquet! The spice from the gingernut base, paired with the piquant filling and topped with a rich caramel crunch topping is, believe me, as delicious as it sounds.

You do need some time to make this as it requires time to set in the fridge, so if you're planning ahead, make it the day before to ensure it's set and serves the perfect slice!

Ingredients:

Gingernut base

• 200g gingernut biscuits

• 100g unsalted butter

Cheesecake filling

• 500g full-fat cream cheese

• 100g icing sugar

• 300ml double cream

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

• 1 tbsp vanilla essence

Pecan topping

• 110g unsalted butter

• 200g dark brown sugar

• 115g double cream

• 200g pecans, chopped

Method:

For the base

• In a food processor, blitz the biscuits to a fine crumb, like sand resemblance. If you don't have a food processor, put them in a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin

• Melt the butter, either on the stove or with short bursts in the microwave, and mix into the biscuits to create a wet sand-like texture

• Press the biscuit mix into the bottom of a deep 20cm, cake tin. Line the bottom with a circle of baking paper

• Place this in the fridge whilst you make the filling

For the cheesecake filling

• Add the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla to a large bowl and mix until smooth

• Pour in the double cream, and whip again until thick

• Add in the ground spices and vanilla extract and mix again until well incorporated

• Spread this onto the gingernut base, ensuring that it's well packed to prevent any gaps down the sides

• Set the cheesecake in the fridge until set, roughly 3-4 hours before preparing the pecan topping

For the pecan topping

• In a large saucepan, add the butter, brown sugar and double cream

• Bring to a gentle boil and using a thermometer, stir until it reaches 235°F. If you don't have a thermometer, that won't stop you. Use this tip - get a bowl of cold water and drop a little of the mix into it. The syrup should form thick threads. When the threads are removed from the water and rolled between your thumb and forefinger it will form a ball. The ball is soft and can be easily flattened when pressed between your fingers.

• Once reached the desired temperature, mix in the chopped pecans and leave to cool for 15-20 minutes

• Pour the pecan caramel topping over the cheesecake filling and return to the fridge to set for a minimum of six hours, but overnight is better!

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