Cruchy-Top Pumpkin Cheesecake

I tried this the other day for company and it was a hit. Thanksgiving for us Canadians has now come and gone but with American Thanksgiving still around the corner, maybe this recipe will come in handy. It combined two of my favorite things...pie and cheesecake.

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

1 cup (250 mL) gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 9 large cookies)
1/2 cup (125 mL) finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup (50 mL) butter, melted
2 Pkg (each 8 oz/250 g) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup (125 mL) sour cream
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) pumpkin purée
1 tsp (5 mL) each cinnamon and vanilla
1/2 tsp (2 mL) each ground ginger and nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
1/3 cup (75 mL) packed brown sugar (for decorative top)

Preparation:
1. Grease 9-inch (2.5 L) springform pan; line side with waxed or parchment paper. Centre pan on square of heavy-duty foil; press to side of pan.

2. In bowl, combine cookie crumbs, pecans and butter; press evenly over bottom of pan. Bake in centre of 350F (180C) oven for 10 minutes or until firm to the touch. Let cool on rack.

3. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese with granulated sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time; beat in sour cream. Beat in pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, nutmeg and cloves; pour over crust smoothing top.

4. Place pan in roasting pan; pour in enough hot water to come 1 inch (2.5 cm) up sides of pans. Bake in centre of 350F (180C) oven for about 50 minutes or until edge is puffed and centre is just set.

5. Turn oven off; let cool in water bath in oven, with door closed, for 1 hour. Remove pan from water. Remove foil; let cool completely in pan on rack. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until chilled, or for up to 24 hours. Score into 12 servings.

To get the fancy crunchy top...On greased foil-lined baking sheet, trace 9-inch (23 cm) circle; with spatula, spread brown sugar evenly over circle.

6. With oven door ajar and watching closely, broil sugar for 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbling and starting to darken, rotating pan to melt evenly. With greased knife, immediately cut into 12 triangles; let harden. To serve, break along cuts; with tips at centre, stand long edge of each at 45-degree angle on scored lines.