#The irresistable spicy flavor of pumpkin pie turned into a cheese cake and baked without a crust. The top is sprinkled with a praline-like confection.# Preheat oven to 300 °F / 150 °C.

First of all prepare pumpkin. Bake pumpkin with its peel in the oven until very soft when pierced with a fork. Then spoon the pulp into a bowl (or peel and steam pumpkin until soft).

Then mash with a fork until smooth and measure the amount asked for In the recipe. Next spoon ricotta and cream cheese into food processor. Mix until smooth. Add brown sugar, flour and all of the spices and mix. Spoon mixture Into a bowl and stir in the mashed pumpkin and whisk in the eggs.

Next beat egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer until foamy. Slowly add the sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Gently fold egg whites In parts Into pumpkin mixture and incorporate.

Pour into a lightly oiled oven proof dish. Bake for 50 minutes or until set. Remove pumpkin cheese cake from the oven and cool for an hour. Then cover top and chill at least 6 hours.

Meanwhile prepare praline topping. Caramelize sugar in a pan over medium - high heat until golden. Spread hot mixture onto a baking sheet brushed with oil.

Cool completely. Break into small pieces and process in the food processor until pieces turn into crystallized sugar.

Sprinkle over cheesecake and serve with dollops of whipped cream and cookies or slices of cake of choice.