I made this cheesecake a couple of weeks ago based on a freelance recipe I did last year. I was craving crispy candied pecans (it’s a good idea to make double the amount needed for this cheesecake, just for snacking purposes!) and this recipe jumped into my head. A few adjustments later - to give it more of a winter feel with some warming spices, and also to convert to gluten free for my mum-in-law, and yessss! This sweet, crunchy, creamy dessert was done. Made ahead of time and ready to serve (minus the tiny test slice for photography purposes….. ????????).
We were having family round to dinner, so I thought I’d use them as guinea pigs to trial my leftover Turkey Tikka Masala (look out for that recipe this weekend). I also made my beef rendang and a huge salad with creamy curry-spiced dressing (the same dressing I used in this fennel and apple salad). It’s definitely worth noting that if you’re going to a food blogger’s house for dinner you should expect the following:
Being used as guinea pigs for recipe testing purposes To be served food that has had a portion removed (and often not replaced - we sometimes need that ‘bite shot’ after all ????) Served an assortment of food that doesn’t necessarily match (especially if we’re photographing multiple recipes) - after all, I served an Indian style buffet with pecan caramel cheesecake!! To be served seasonal/celebration food way before the event (errrrm like leftover turkey at the beginning of December!) Occasionally having to take part in a photoshoot (such as hands picking up a piece of food) before you’re allowed to eat.
I managed to hit 4 out of 5 of those points for this last get together. My poor family!!
Nevertheless, it all got eaten, and everyone left with full bellies. The cheesecake was that perfect ‘I’m too full to eat, but I’ll just have a small slice. No, a bit more…..’ dessert (that everyone somehow managed to squeeze in). A classic no-bake filling, spiked with winter spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, all piled into a gluten-free oat-biscuit base. It was actually more of a case than a base. Can’t get enough of that buttery biscuit-ness! Here’s my tip for getting even, level edges for that case (I served up many a wonky cheesecake before I started doing this) - use a measuring cup and a teaspoon to push and level:
The pecans are simply cooked with sugar and a little butter until the sugar melts and lightly coats the nuts. Once cooled, they’re perfectly sweet and crunchy!
The Recipe:
