Method

Parbake base:

• Preheat oven to 175°C.
• Pulse the biscuits in a food processor until fine crumbs are formed.
• Combine the butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and ground cloves to the gingernut crumbs in a medium bowl.
• Press the mixture into the bottom of a 22cm cake tin and all the way around the sides.
• Transfer to a cooling rack while you make the filling.

Make filling:

• Whip the egg whites with salt until soft peaks form.
• Slowly add the sugar with the machine running. Continue until the egg whites form stiff peaks, and set them aside.
• In another bowl, mix curd, sugar, and egg yolks until completely smooth. Add 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, orange zest, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
• Beat the mixture then add the pumpkin purée, sour cream, and vanilla extract and beat until creamy and smooth.
• Fold the egg whites into the cream cheese mixture in sections.
• Gently spread the filling into the cooled pie crust, using a rubber spatula to smooth over the top.
• Tap the pan on the bench a few times to release any large air bubbles.

Bake cheesecake:

• Place the cheesecake tin in a tinfoil basket in the roasting pan, then carefully add boiling water until it rises an inch and a half up the sides of the springform pan
• Do not let it rise above the level of the foil or the water will leak into the cheesecake.
• Carefully transfer the roasting pan to the preheated oven and bake the cheesecake until it's set, but still a little wobbly in the center, 75 to 90 minutes.
• Once it's baked, transfer the cheesecake to a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely in the pan then transfer it to the fridge to chill for a further 3 hours or overnight.