JACK-O'-LANTERN PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Ginger Shortbread Crust:
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Place flour, sugar and ground ginger in a food processor and pulse a few times to mix together. Add egg yolk and softened butter and pulse until the dough comes together.
• Press the dough onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with your fingers, then smooth it out with an offset spatula. Prick the crust a few times with a fork to prevent the crust from puffing up during baking.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown.
• Let cool completely.
• Beat the reserved egg white lightly, then brush it onto the crust to prevent it from becoming soggy.
• Pumpkin Cheesecake:
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Fill a baking pan about 3/4-inch deep with hot water. Place it on the bottom rack of the oven to create a steam bath.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, whole eggs and egg yolks until creamy.
• Sift together the flour, cinnamon, cloves and ginger, and add to the cream cheese mixture; mix well.
• Beat in the heavy cream and vanilla, then add the pumpkin and beat just until mixed thoroughly.
• Pour the cream cheese batter over the prepared crust and bake on the middle oven rack for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Allow the cheesecake to cool completely.
• Place in the refrigerator and chill overnight.
• Use a jack-o'-lantern template to decorate the cheesecake with the cocoa powder.