PUMPKIN SWIRL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Toast nuts: Spread in baking pan.
• Bake, in 350 oven, 8-10 minutes until lightly browned and papery skins begin to flake.
• Turn hazelnuts out onto a towel and rub off skins.
• Leave oven at 350.
• Wrap foil over bottom and halfway up out side of 8-inch springform pan to keep butter from dripping out.
• Lightly coat the 8-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
• Crust: break crackers into a food processor.
• Add hazelnuts, sugar and butter.
• Process until fine crumbs form.
• Press firmly over bottom and 1 1/2 inch up sides of prepared pan.
• Filling: Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with mixer on high speed until smooth.
• On low speed, beat in sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and sour cream, scrapping down sides of bowl often, until well blended.
• Add eggs and egg whites; beat just until mixed.
• Melt the chocolate chips according to the package directions.
• Add 1 1/2 cups of cheese mixture and stir until well blended.
• Stir pumpkin and spices into remaining cheese mixture until well blended.
• Reserve 1/4 C; pour rest into crust.
• Pour the chocolate mixture onto pumpkin pumpkin batter in a thick ring about 1/2 inch from sides of pan.
• Top with dollops of reserved 1/4 C pumpkin batter.
• Run a knife through both batters for a marble effect.
• Don't overdo or the effect will be muddied.
• Bake 1 hour 15 minutes or until wooden pick inserted 2 inches from center of cake comes out clean.
• Carefully run a knife around inside edge of pan to release cake.
• Cool on a wire rack, then cover and refrigerate in pan at least 4 hours or up to 1 week.
• Can be frozen up to 3 months.
• Thaw in refrigerator 2 days before serving.
• To serve: remove pan sides.
• Place on a serving plate.