Cheesecake is quite rich for dessert and is much better at 4 in the afternoon during a coffee break. The ginger-snap crumbs can be replaced by graham-cracker crumbs. To make the creaming step easier, let the cream cheese sit at room temperature for one hour before starting the recipe .

CRUST

3/4 cup (175 mL) ginger-snap cookie crumbs

1/4 cup (50 mL) pecans

pinch salt

2 tablespoons (25 mL) brown sugar

3 tablespoons( 45 mL) melted unsalted butter

1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C). In the bowl of a food processor, grind the cookie crumbs, pecans, salt and brown sugar, add the melted butter and process until the mixture begins to stick together.
2. Press the mixture firmly onto the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch spring-form pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes until the crust begins to colour. Set aside.

FILLING

2 cups (480g/16oz) cream cheese

1 cup (250 mL) pumpkin puree

1/4cup (75 mL) 35-per-cent cream

1/2 cup (125 mL) brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) salt

3/4 teaspoon (4 mL) cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) mace

1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) ground cloves

3 eggs

1/4 cup (75 mL) granulated sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons (20 mL) cornstarch

1. With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl, until it is smooth and lump-free. Blend in the pumpkin puree, cream and brown sugar. Add the salt and spices, and beat until smooth and creamy.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar. Whisk in the cornstarch until completely dissolved.
3. Stir the egg mixture into the cheese mixture until well combined. Pour the filling over the crust in the spring-form pan. Bake at 400F (200C) for 5 minutes.
4. Turn off the oven and let the cake bake for 45 minutes in the closed oven until it is firm. If the cake is not set, turn the oven on to 350F (180C) and bake for another 10 minutes. The cheesecake should rise and a tester should come out clean.
5. Let cool on a rack for 20 minutes before adding topping.

TOPPING

2/3 cup (150 mL) sour cream

1/3 cup (75 mL) 35-per-cent cream

3 tablespoons (45 mL) brown sugar

2 teaspoons (10 mL) vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Whisk together the sour cream, heavy cream, brown sugar and vanilla. Pour onto the cooled cheesecake and bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Let cool at room temperature.
2. For best results, refrigerate, covered, overnight before removing the sides of the pan.
3. Decorate the cake with marzipan pumpkins or pecan halves. To serve, always cut cheesecake with a sharp, clean knife.