My family prefers pecan pie over pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving and our gathering is too small to make two pies. I, however, love pumpkin pie. For a fall Saturday dinner I decided to give in to the pumpkin craving by making a pumpkin cheesecake parfait.

While not a low-sugar dessert, this parfait recipe is not as sweet as many I found across the web. There’s a little maple syrup in the filling, but just enough for a hint of flavour. I also omitted the graham cracker crust layer, opting for a candied pecan and graham cracker crumble instead. You could certainly add this in layers if you want more sweetness and a different look, although the crumble will soften if put in the parfait ahead of time.

INGREDIENTS

Makes approximately 4–6 servings, depending on the size of the glasses.

Cheesecake filling

• 250 g full-fat brick cream cheese, softened
• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Small pinch of salt
• 1 cup cold whipping cream

For the pumpkin layer

• ½ cup thick pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp ground ginger
• Pinch of nutmeg

Graham and candied pecan crumble

• ⅓ cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1½ tbsp (21 g) butter, melted
• Small pinch of salt
• ¼ cup finely chopped candied pecans

Note: This makes more topping than needed if using just a small spoonful on each parfait. Keep any extra in an airtight jar once completely cool. It makes a great topping over breakfast oatmeal.

METHOD

Prepare the crumble.

1. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, chopped candied pecans, melted butter and salt.
2. Spread loosely on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Bake at 325°F conventional or 300°F convection for 6-8 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. Watch that the sugar coated pecan pieces don’t over-brown.
4. Cool completely, then break up any larger clumps.
5. Keep in an airtight container at room temperature until serving.

Make the cheesecake filling.

I used the whisk attachment on my stand mixer to make this parfait. It created a light and fluffy dessert.

1. Mix pureed pumpkin with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Set aside.
2. Beat the softened cream cheese and brown sugar until completely smooth, scraping down the bowl.
3. Beat in the maple syrup, vanilla and salt.
4. Add the cold whipping cream directly to the cream cheese mixture. Start on low until combined, then increase to medium-high and whisk for approximately 2–3 minutes, until thick and holding stiff peaks. Stop once it holds its shape.
5. Set aside approximately 60% of the whipped cheesecake filling for the plain layer.
6. Gently fold spiced pumpkin mixture into the remaining 40% of the filling. The added pumpkin brings the two portions closer to equal amounts.

Assemble

Use any kind of decorative glass you have on hand that will look nice with layers. I used a stemmed glass coupe which was a very large serving size. Next time I’ll try a slightly smaller glass (although my husband disagrees).

1. Spoon or pipe the plain cheesecake filling into the glasses, then add the pumpkin filling on top. Smooth each layer gently.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
3. Just before serving, sprinkle the graham and candied pecan crumble over the top.