Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust

2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted 

Filling

4 pkgs. 8 oz. each cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg 

Heat your oven to 300 degrees. Grease a 9 inch springform pan with shortening or cooking spray. Wrap foil around the pan to catch drips. In a small bowl, mix cookie crumbs and butter. Press crumb mixture in bottom and 1 inch up sides of pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or till set. Cool 5 minutes. 

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with mixer on medium speed just till smooth and creamy, do not overbeat. On low speed, gradually beat in sugar. On low speed, beat in eggs, one at a time, just till blended. Spoon 3 cups of cream cheese mixture into pan over crust. Spread evenly. 

Stir pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg into remaining cream cheese mixture; mix with wire whisk until smooth.Spoon over top of mixture in pan. 

Bake 1 hour and 25 minutes to 1 and a half hours or till edges are set but the center jiggles slightly when moved. 

Turn off oven; open door at least 4 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven for 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven; place on wire rack to cool. Without releasing side of pan, run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen the cheesecake. Cool in pan on wire rack 30 minutes. Cover loosely, refrigerate at least 6 hours but no longer than 24 hours. 

Run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake again, carefully remove side of pan. Place cheesecake on a serving platter. Store cheesecake covered in fridge. Serves 16.

- Adrian Parkinson