Caramel and Pecan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

Caramel and Pecan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
Serves: 10-12

Ingredients
1c ginger snap biscuits
1/4c pecans crushed
1/4c melted butter
2 packs of cream cheese at room temp
1/4c brown sugar
1/4c caster sugar
1c pumpkin purée *
2tsp pumpkin pie spice mix
2 whole eggs
1tsp Heilala Vanilla Bean Paste
2tbsp pure maple
Pinch salt

Caramel
1/2c crushed pecans
75g butter chopped
1/2c brown sugar
1c full cream
2tbsp golden syrup

Directions
1. Set 160degrees Celsius and line a cake tin.
2. Melt your 1/4c butter and in a processor blitz your pecans and ginger snaps to a crumb. Combine the butter and the crumb well and press Into your cake tin. Set aside.
3. In a mixer cream your sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Add your spice mix, vanilla, maple, and purée and blend till combined. Add your eggs and blend in don’t over beat.
4. Pour over your base and bake for about 50minutes (until the center is set). Turn the oven off and open the door slightly to cool for about an hr before removing. Run a knife around the outside to remove from the cake tin.
5. Make your caramel
6. In a saucepan melt your butter, salt, sugar and golden syrup whisking until dissolved and bring to the boil. Continue whisking while you add your cream. Whisk back up to the boil and remove from heat. Allow to cool and thicken before spooning some over your cake and allowing to drizzle down the sides. Crumble your pecans over top.
7. Store in the fridge.
8. Serve with more caramel sauce which you can reheat if you like and whipped cream

* I make my own pumpkin purée using my Kenwood MultiPro Excel Food Processor all you need to do is;
1/2 small pumpkin (mint was a Kent) chopped and skin removed
1-2tbsp olive oil or rice bran oil
2-3 tbsp brown sugar
Set your oven to 160 degrees and place your pumpkin on a lined baking tray. Coat in your oil and sprinkle your brown sugar over top (this will caramelise as it cooks!)
Cook for about 25-30 minutes until it’s lovely and soft.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool to a warm temp before adding all into to your food processor and blend into a smooth consistency. Store in an airtight container in he fridge until ready to use.
This type of pumpkin dish can be used in a quiche (if you don’t blend) it’s super tasty on its own or make pumpkin pancakes!