Caramelized Ginger-Pear Cheesecake

• 1-1/2 cups finely crushed gingersnaps
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 3 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1 can (15 oz.) pear slices, drained, liquid reserved Safeway 1 lb For $1.88 thru 02/09
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped candied gingerroot

1. Heat oven to 450F.
2. Combine gingersnap crumbs and butter; press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 10-inch springform pan.
3. Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended.
4. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well.
5. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended.
6. Pour into crust.
7. Bake 10 min.
8. Reduce oven temperature to 250F; continue baking 20 to 25 min.
9. or until center is almost set.
10. Cool 10 min.
11. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool completely.
12. Arrange pears over cheesecake.
13. Mix remaining sugar and 2 Tbsp.
14. reserved pear liquid in large saucepan.
15. Cook, without stirring, on medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved and syrup turns a deep golden color.
16. (Do not over cook.)
17. Remove from heat.
18. Combine gingerroot and 2 Tbsp.
19. of the remaining reserved pear liquid; carefully add to the hot sugar mixture, stirring until blended.
20. (Syrup will bubble up.
21. Be careful.)
22. Immediately drizzle over cheesecake.
23. Refrigerate 4 hours or until chilled.

gingersnaps, butter, philadelphia cream cheese, sugar, s, vanilla, eggs, pear, candied gingerroot

Taken from www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/caramelized-ginger-pear-cheesecake-168007.aspx (may not work)