Spiderweb Pumpkin Cheesecake

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 3/4 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 cups sour cream
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/3 cup water
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted

Recipe

• 1 combine wafer crumbs and butter; press onto the bottom and 1 inches up the sides of a greased 10-in. springform pan.
• 2 in a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugars until smooth.
• 3 add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined.
• 4 whisk in pumpkin, cornstarch, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice just until blended.
• 5 pour into crust.
• 6 bake at 350° for 60-65 minutes or until center is almost set.
• 7 cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
• 8 combine topping ingredients; spread over filling.
• 9 bake at 350° for 6 minutes.
• 10 cool on a wire rack for 10 minute.
• 11 carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer.
• 12 refrigerate overnight then remove from pan.
• 13 in a saucepan, bring the sugar, cream of tartar and water to a boil over medium heat.
• 14 boil, without stirring, until mixture turns a light amber color and candy thermometer reads 350°.
• 15 immediately remove from the heat and stir.
• 16 cool, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes or until hot sugar mixture falls off a metal spoon in a fine thread.
• 17 using a spoon or meat fork, carefully drizzle syrup over waxed paper to form spiderwebs
• 18 cool completely.
• 19 place melted chocolate in a resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag.
• 20 pipe 1-in. spiders onto parchment or foil; cool completely.
• 21 with remaining melted chocolate, pipe two or three dots on each web; attach spiders.
• 22 cut cheesecake; place a web on top of each slice and remaining spiders on the side.