CRUST FOR CHEESECAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Pulse almonds and pecans together in a food processor until ground, but not paste-like. Add sweetener and butter; pulse to combine. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until crust is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.
• Blend cream cheese and 2/3 cup sweetener in food processor or with an electric mixer until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in pumpkin, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt until smooth, about 2 minutes more. Add in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Pour batter into the prepared crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven until just set in the center, or when the filling jiggles but does not run, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake, cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours, until ready to serve.

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Tightly wrap the outside of a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind the almonds, cracker crumbs, and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter and process until moist crumbs form. Press the almond mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan (not on the sides of the pan). Bake the crust until it is set and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Cool. Decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• For the filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and sugar in a large bowl until smooth, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
• Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the center of the cheesecake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 5 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold). Transfer the cake to a rack; cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• For the topping: Combine the chocolate-hazelnut spread and cream in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave until warm, stirring every 20 seconds to blend, about 1 minute.
• Cut the cake into wedges. Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the wedges and serve.