Crust:
1 1/2 c. flour
1 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. salt
3/4 c. butter, room temp.
1/4 c. sugar
1 lg. egg yolk
1/4 c. candied ginger, minced
350 oven. Spray 9-inch spring form pan with 3" sides with nonstick spray.
Sift dry ingredients together into a medium bowl. Using mixer, beat butter and sugar until blended. Beat in egg yolk, then the flour mixture. Stir in minced ginger. Roll dough out into a 9-inch round; transfer to prepared pan. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of pan; pierce all over with a fork. Freeze for 30 minutes. Cook on center rack (using pie weights) until set, about 20 minutes. Crust should be golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack.
Filling:
4 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1 c. sugar
1 (8oz) pkg. mascarpone cheese
5 lg. eggs
2 lg. egg yolks
2 1/2 t. ground ginger
2 1/2 t. cardamom
1/2 t. vanilla
1/4 t. allspice
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. black pepper
Preheat oven to 350.
Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth, about 3 min. Add mascarpone; beat 'til smooth. Beat in whole eggs, one at a time. Beat in yolks. Add next 6 ingredients; beat until blended. Transfer filling to cooled crust in pan; smooth top. Bake for 1 hour. Reduce oven temp. to 200, continue baking until cake is set around the edges, but center moves slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 30 minutes longer. Remove cake from oven; increase temp. back to 350.
Topping:
1 1/3 c. sour cream
3 T. sugar
2 t. vanilla
Whisk ingredients together; spread evenly over cake. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Run small knife around cake sides. Chill uncovered overnight. Remove pan sides. Transfer cake to platter; cut and serve.
