Goat Cheese Pumpkin Cheesecake

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a food processor, pulse cookies and pecans until finely ground (it makes about 2 cups). Add sugar, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, salt and butter; pulse until combined. Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until crust is golden and set. Cool completely before filling.
2. Meanwhile, with an electric mixer set on low speed, beat together the goat cheese and sugar. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined. Add eggs one at a time mixing on low speed after each is added. Combine the remaining ingredients and continue to beat until the mixture is very smooth.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared crust and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan; the center should be still soft. Cool to room temperature then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight.
4. Roasted pears: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Slice pear lengthwise 1/8-inch thick (I used a mandoline slicer, but knife works well too).
5. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Coat with cooking spray. Arrange pear slices in a single layer on sheet and brush with 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Roast until pears are soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and heat the broiler. Brush pears with remaining syrup and broil until browned in spots, about 3-4 minutes. Let cool.
6. Arrange pear slices, overlapping slightly, on cheesecake.