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-- Bev K., Winnipeg, Manitoba
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes
You Will Need
1 3/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (about 28 wafers)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
Filling
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Topping
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Spiderweb Garnish
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup water
4 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet chocolate, melted
What to Do
1. Combine wafer crumbs and butter; press onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a greased 10-inch springform pan. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugars until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Whisk in pumpkin, cornstarch, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice just until blended. Pour into crust. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 60-65 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
3. Combine topping ingredients; spread over filling. Bake at 350°F for 6 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minute. Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan; set aside.
4. For spiderwebs, draw six 3 x 2-inch half circles on two sheets of parchment paper on top; tape both securely to work surface.
5. In a saucepan, bring the sugar, cream of tartar and water to a boil over medium heat. Boil, without stirring, until mixture turns a light amber color and candy thermometer reads 350°F. Immediately remove from the heat and stir. Cool, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes or until hot sugar mixture falls off a metal spoon in a fine thread.
6. Using a spoon or meat fork, carefully drizzle syrup over half-circle outlines and inside the outlines to form spiderwebs; reheat syrup if needed. Cool completely.
7. Place melted chocolate in a resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag. Pipe 1-inch spiders onto parchment or foil; cool completely. With remaining melted chocolate, pipe two or three dots on each web; attach spiders.
8. Remove sides of springform pan. Cut cheesecake; place a web on top of each slice and remaining spiders on the side. Refrigerate leftovers.
Editor's note: We recommend that you test your candy thermometer before each use by bringing water to a boil; the thermometer should read 212°F. Adjust your recipe temperature up or down based on your test.
Serves 12
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