Toast pecan halves in 350° oven for 7 minutes. Melt 2-3 T. butter and sprinkle heavily with cinnamon and 2-3 tsp. sugar. Mix well and put toasted pecans into the mixture. Mix until well coated, and set aside.
Crust:
Mix together all ingredients and press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.
Filling:
Beat cream cheese in mixer with a paddle. You can beat it for as long as you want just make sure it is on low as it will separate. Make sure to scrape the bowl to get out all the lumps. Add vanilla, cream and eggs. In a separate bowl mix together sugar, spices and cornstarch. Add to the mix. When mixed well add pumpkin and mix well. Pour into crust. Bake in a preheated oven at 350° for 50-55 minutes, or until center is set. Remove from oven and let cool in pan on a rack for 5 minutes.
Topping:
Mix ingredients together and pour mixture on top of cheesecake and bake for 5 minutes more. Let cheesecake cool in the pan. When cool refrigerate overnight. May freeze in the AM :) Takes at least 4 hours to thaw. When ready to serve place a pecan half on each piece. I use a convection oven and I also bake it in a 10 inch pan. I bake it at 225° for 2 hours. I do not add the topping when I am doing it at work. I do at home. It is very pretty. The cream cheese can be microwaved to make it soft to make sure you get all the lumps out of it. Just do not beat on high. It can beat for hours as long as it is on low.
