Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Ingredients

• For the crust:
• 2 1/2 cups ginger snap cookie crumbs
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• For the filling:
• 4 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 16 ounces cream cheese, cut into small pieces and at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 can pumpkin purée
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• For the spiced walnuts and assembly:
• 1 large egg white, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 1/2 cups walnuts
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup or honey

Directions

1. For the crust, move an oven rack to the center and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix the cookie crumbs with the melted butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and cloves until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Pack the mixture across the base and along the sides of a 9-inch springform pan, stopping about 1/2 inch below the rim. Wrap the outside of the pan in foil. Bake until the crust takes on a golden color, 10 to 12 minutes, then set it on a cooling rack until fully cooled, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. For the filling, lay a clean kitchen towel in a roasting pan. Bring water to a boil in a tea kettle or pot.
3. Using a stand mixer bowl or a large bowl, beat the egg whites and salt with the whisk attachment on medium speed until they hold soft peaks, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup sugar a little at a time, then keep whipping until the peaks are firm, 1 to 2 minutes more. If the whites are in the stand mixer bowl, move them to another bowl.
4. Switch to the paddle attachment. Beat the cream cheese with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks on medium speed until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Blend in the flour, orange zest, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves until no streaks remain, about 30 seconds. Spoon in the pumpkin purée, then add the sour cream, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Continue beating until the filling turns creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes longer, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
5. Mix 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the cream cheese mixture to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest.
6. Pour the batter into the cooled crust, scraping the bowl clean, and set the springform pan in the towel-lined roasting pan. Add the hot water to the roasting pan. Bake until the cheesecake is set around the edges but still has a little jiggle at the center, 75 to 90 minutes. Move the roasting pan to a cooling rack and leave the cheesecake in the water bath for 30 minutes.
7. Lift the cheesecake out of the roasting pan and place it, still in its pan, on the cooling rack until completely cooled, 1 to 2 hours. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is thoroughly cold and set, at least 3 hours.
8. For the spiced walnuts and assembly, while the cheesecake is cooling, put an oven rack in the center position and heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
9. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg white, orange juice, and salt. Add the walnuts and toss until coated. Pour them into a colander and let them drain, about 5 minutes.
10. In another medium bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and clove. Add the drained walnuts and toss to cover them with the spice mixture. Spread them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake until crisp, 30 to 40 minutes.
11. Set the baking sheet on a cooling rack and let the walnuts cool fully, about 30 minutes. Separate any clusters, then chop them coarsely.
12. Warm the syrup in the microwave for 20 seconds. Brush it over the cooled cheesecake, then scatter the walnuts on top.