Ingredients

Vegetable cooking spray
1 cup nonfat ricotta cheese
2 (8-ounce) tubs light process cream cheese product
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs
1 (16-ounce) can mashed cooked pumpkin
4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided

Directions

Coat bottom of a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Wrap outside bottom and sides of pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil; set aside.

Position knife blade in food processor bowl; add the ricotta cheese and cream cheese, and process until smooth. Add brown sugar and next six ingredients; process until smooth. Pour into a large bowl; stir in pumpkin and set aside.

Beat four egg whites (at room temperature) and cream of tartar at high speed of an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add 1/4-cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-fourth of egg white mixture into pumpkin mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg white mixture.

Pour into prepared pan; place in large, shallow pan. Add hot water to larger pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 300 degrees for 50 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool in water bath one hour. Remove springform pan from water; remove foil from pan. Cover and chill at least eight hours.

Place three tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Caramelize by stirring often until sugar melts and is golden (about five minutes.) Rapidly spread mixture onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cool completely.

Break mixture into small pieces. Position knife blade in processor bowl; add crystallized sugar. Pulse six times. Sprinkle over cheesecake. Yield: 12 servings.