Best Ginger Cheesecake Recipes

GINGER LEMON CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix cookies, brown sugar, butter, and ground ginger together in a bowl; press into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove crust from oven and cool to room temperature.
• Process cream cheese, eggs, white sugar, lemon juice, and lemon extract in a food processor until smooth and creamy; spread over crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheesecake is set, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Cool cheesecake to room temperature and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

GINGER LEMON BASQUE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Grease one side of 2 to 3 sheets of parchment paper. Lay them butter-side up inside a 10-inch springform pan, arranging so that they cover all sides, and crimping the edges to ensure they stay in place. Place the springform pan on a sheet tray.
• In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, granulated sugar and salt. Cream on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides.
• Turn the mixer down to medium and add the condensed milk. Beat to combine, then scrape down the bowl. Add the heavy cream, fresh ginger, ground ginger, vanilla and minced lemon zest. Fully combine, then scrape down the sides.
• Turn the mixer to medium-high and add the eggs one at a time, being sure that each is fully combined before adding the next.
• Add the flour, then beat again, scraping down the sides.
• Pour the cheesecake into the center of the springform pan and tap it lightly on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
• Bake for 30 minutes, then rotate. Continue to bake until dark golden brown, another 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until completely set, 6 hours.
• Remove the cheesecake from the pan, then peel down the paper. (You can leave the paper in place for a rustic look.)
• Mix together the lemon curd, limoncello, sour cream, lemon juice and remaining lemon zest in a bowl.
• Pour evenly over the top of the cheesecake, then sprinkle with the powdered sugar and garnish with the basil. Cut into slices and serve.

PUMPKIN GINGER CHEESECAKE PIE

Steps:

• Make gingersnap crumb crust and reserve.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Pulse sugar and ginger in a food processor until ginger is finely chopped, then add cream cheese and pulse until smooth. Add eggs, milk, flour, nutmeg, and salt and pulse until just combined.
• Reserve 2/3 cup cream cheese mixture in a glass measure. Whisk together remaining 1 1/3 cups cream cheese mixture and pumpkin in a large bowl until combined.
• Pour pumpkin mixture into gingersnap crumb crust. Stir reserved cream cheese mixture (in glass measure) and drizzle decoratively over top of pumpkin mixture, then, if desired, swirl with back of a spoon. Put pie on a baking sheet and bake until center is just set, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, then chill, loosely covered with foil, at least 4 hours. If necessary, very gently blot any moisture from surface with paper towels before serving.

MANGO-PINEAPPLE-LIME CHEESECAKE WITH GINGER CRUST

Steps:

• For crust:
• Preheat oven to 350 °F. Generously butter 9-inch-diameter spring-form pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Finely grind first 4 ingredients in processor. Add butter; blend until crumbs are moistened. Press mixture on bottom and 1 3/4 inches up sides of pan. Bake until crust is set, about 8 minutes. Transfer to rack, cool. Maintain oven temperature.
• For filling:
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar and lime peel in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in sour cream and lime juice. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended.
• Pour filling into crust. Bake until edges are firm but center 2 inches of cheesecake still moves slightly when pan is shaken, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Cover, chill overnight.
• Place mango around top edge of caked. Place kiwi, then pineapple in center. Garnish with pineapple leaves.

CHEESECAKE WITH MEYER LEMON-GINGER CURD

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Pulse the graham crackers and butter cookies in a food processor until finely ground; drizzle in the melted butter and pulse to combine. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and about 1 inch up the side of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack and let cool completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
• Make the filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and slightly fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the lemon juice and vanilla. Pour the batter into the prepared crust. Transfer to the oven and bake until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly, 1 hour to 1 hour, 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and keep the cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar, 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen. Transfer to a rack; let cool completely, then refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Make the lemon curd: Finely grate the ginger; put in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and press with a rubber spatula to extract the juice.
• Whisk the eggs, sugar and cream in a small nonreactive saucepan until combined. Add the lemon juice and ginger juice and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbly, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until melted. Strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl, pressing it through with a rubber spatula; let cool. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Spread the curd over the cheesecake and refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Remove the springform ring and slice. Serve with strawberries.

CRANBERRY-GINGER CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Line 13x9-inch baking dish with foil, leaving ends of foil hanging over sides of dish; spray with cooking spray.
• Combine flour, oats, nuts, butter and 1/4 cup sugar; press onto bottom of prepared baking dish. Bake 12 min.
• Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and remaining sugar in medium bowl with mixer until blended. Add ginger; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended.
• Pour cream cheese mixture over crust; top with cranberries.
• Bake 40 to 45 min. or until center is almost set; cool completely.
• Refrigerate 2 hours. Use foil handles to remove dessert from dish before cutting into bars.

GINGER-LEMON CHEESECAKE BITES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a mini muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Beat cream cheese in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and light. Add sugar, eggs, lemon extract, and vanilla extract gradually.
• Puree gingersnaps in a food processor into fine crumbs. Drop a heaping 1/2 teaspoon crumbs into each muffin cup; add a teaspoon of cream cheese mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 11 minutes. Let cool in the pan until set, about 10 minutes. Chill before serving, about 1 hour.

LEMON-GINGER CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Double-wrap outside of pan with heavy-duty foil. Blend ground cookies, sugar, and ginger in processor. Add melted butter and process until moist crumbs form. Press mixture onto bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake until crust sets, about 10 minutes. Cool. Maintain oven temperature.
• For filling:
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in sugar, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream and whipping cream, then crystallized ginger, fresh ginger, lemon juice, and lemon peel.
• Pour filling into crust. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come 1 inch up sides of springform pan. Bake cheesecake until filling is set and golden brown on top (cake will rise slightly above edge of pan), about 1 hour 25 minutes. Turn off oven and prop open oven door with wooden spoon. Let cake stand in oven 1 hour (cake will fall).
• Remove springform pan from water bath. Remove foil and cool cheesecake completely on rack. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Can be prepared ahead and refrigerated 4 days or frozen up to 2 months. Defrost frozen cake overnight in refrigerator.) Release pan sides from cheesecake. Transfer cheesecake to platter. Arrange lemon slices decoratively around cake and serve.

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY'S PUMPKIN GINGER CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees (300 degrees for convection-bake oven).
• Prepare a 10-inch springform pan.
• To make the crust; in a bowl place the melted butter with graham cracker crumbs, crushed gingersnaps, brown sugar and cinnamon; mix with a fork until combined.
• Line bottom and side with parchment paper or wax paper, then spray with nonstick spray.
• Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan.
• For the filling; pour the whipping cream into a medium bowl and beat just until soft peaks form; refrigerate until ready to use.
• In a bowl beat the cream cheese with electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add in sugar, beating well until combined.
• Add in eggs one at a time and beat the mixture until fluffy.
• Stir in pumpkin puree, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
• Remove the whipped cream from the refrigerator and lightly whisk to reblend.
• Using a spatula or a flat spoon fold in the whipped cream into the cream cheese-pumpkin mixture.
• Pour the mixture into preapred crust.
• Wrap one continuous sheet of heavy foil around the springform pan then press firmly against the pan.
• Place the wrapped pan in a baking pan and fill with hot water to halfway up the spring form pan.
• Bake for 60-70 minutes.
• Cool the cheesecake to room temperature, the chill for at least 5 hours or until the cake is thoroughly chilled.
• Remove the sides of the springform pan.
• Just before serving place the pecan halves on top of the cheescake in a ring around the edges.

MAPLE GINGER PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE WITH WALNUTS IN MAPLE CARAMEL

Steps:

• Vapor cook the pumpkin, until soft. Let it cool to room temperature.Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Prepare a ring tray, with removable bottom, brush it with some butter and then put baking paper in it. Transform the cookies in rough crumbles, mix it with the candied ginger and the melted butter, then press it strongly on the bottom of the tray. This way we prepare a good support for the cream cheese filling. Mix well the cheese, until creamy, then slowly add the condensed milk. When the composition is homogenous, add eggs, maple syrup (60 ml), the pumpkin, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix slowly, without trying to hard to puree the pumpkin. Pour it in the prepared tray, over the crumb crust. Bake the cake for almost 1 hour and 15 minutes, take it out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it for a couple of hours, or better, overnight. Just before serving, prepare the maple caramel: heat the double cream and maple, bring to a boil, then let it boil on a medium fire for around 20 minutes, mixing rarely. When the syrup is more consistent, add the walnuts and pumpkin seeds. Set aside. Let cool a little. Serve with the cheesecake. Just perfect :)

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE WITH WALNUT-GINGER CRUST AND CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cookie crumbs, walnuts, and 3 tablespoons sugar in a food processor and pulse 3 or 4 times until combined; add butter and pulse 4 or 5 times, or until crumbly. Wrap the outside of a 10-inch springform pan with aluminum foil, then press cookie mixture into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cool crust completely on a wire rack. Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees.
• Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer at medium speed 3 minutes, or until creamy. Gradually add brown sugar and the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, beating 4 minutes, or until blended.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Add pumpkin, whipping cream, and pumpkin-pie spice. Beat on low speed of an electric mixer just until blended. Do not overbeat. Pour batter over prepared crust.
• Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until almost set (it will still jiggle in the center). Remove from oven; run a knife around edge of pan. Cool on a wire rack 1 hour. Chill 8 hours or overnight. Garnish with walnut halves and serve with Caramel Sauce.
• Caramel Sauce: Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat; add brown sugar and corn syrup, then cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Gradually add cream, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature.

GINGER AND PINK GRAPEFRUIT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 9-inch springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides.
• Blend graham crackers and sugar in processor to coarse crumbs. Add 1/2 cup butter. Blend until crumbs hold together; press onto bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Bake crust until beginning to color, about 15 minutes; sprinkle with chopped ginger. Cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• Stack 3 long sheets of 18-inch-wide foil on work surface. Place cake pan in center. Fold foil snugly up sides of pan.
• For filling:
• Bring cream and fresh ginger to simmer. Remove from heat; cover. Steep 30 minutes. Strain cream. Stir preserves and 1 tablespoon water in small saucepan over medium heat until preserves melt; strain into small bowl. Discard solids; reserve ginger jelly.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Beat in sugar, ground ginger, vanilla, and salt. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well. Add 2 tablespoons ginger jelly and beat until blended. Gradually beat in strained cream. Transfer to prepared crust. Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan. Place cake in water bath in oven.
• Bake cake until gently set, browned on top, and beginning to crack around edges, about 2 hours. Remove from water. Remove foil. Place hot cake, uncovered, in refrigerator and chill overnight. Do ahead Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep cake chilled. Store ginger jelly at room temperature.
• For topping:
• Line large plate with several layers of paper towels. Cut all peel and pith off grapefruits. Working over bowl, cut between membranes to release segments; place on paper towels to drain. Cover with additional paper towels, pressing to absorb excess liquid. Do ahead Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Chill, changing towels as needed.
• Cut around crust. Remove pan sides. Spread 1/4 cup ginger jelly over filling; top with grapefruit, then brush with ginger jelly. Sprinkle with crystallized ginger. Do ahead Can be made 1 hour ahead. Chill.

GINGER CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside. Place gingersnaps in a food processor; pulse to a powder. Transfer to a small bowl, and stir in butter until well combined. Press gingersnap mixture evenly into bottom of prepared baking sheet. Bake crust until firm, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, put cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until softened. Mix in sugar, egg, egg yolk, sour cream, and vanilla until well combined. Mix in crystallized ginger.
• Pour the cream cheese mixture onto crust, and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until filling has puffed and feels slightly firm to the touch (do not let brown), 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, until set,about 1 hour. To serve, cut into bars.

CHEESECAKE WITH GINGER-LIME CANDIED RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• For shortbread crust:
• Lightly coat an 8x8x2" baking pan with nonstick spray; line with plastic wrap, leaving a generous overhang.
• Mix crumbs, butter, and salt in a medium bowl until it resembles moist sand. Press evenly onto bottom of pan. Cover; chill.
• For cheesecake:
• Place 2 tablespoons. cold water in a small saucepan; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin is soft, 5-10 minutes.
• Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat sugar, butter, and salt in a medium bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With motor running, add cream cheese 1 piece at a time, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in crème fraîche, orange juice, and lime juice.
• Gently heat gelatin over lowest heat, stirring constantly, just until gelatin dissolves. Scrape gelatin into cream cheese mixture; beat to blend. Fold in whipped cream just to incorporate. Pour mixture over crust; smooth top. Chill until set, about 3 hours. DO AHEAD: Cheesecake can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled, or freeze airtight for up to 2 weeks.
• For ginger-lime candied raspberries:
• Cook first 3 ingredients, 1 tablespoon mint, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon water in a small saucepan over low heat until raspberries are soft and juices are released, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and chill foratleast1hourandupto1day.
• Using plastic wrap overhang, lift cheese-cake from pan and place on a flat surface. Cut into pieces; place on plates. Spoon candied raspberries over; drizzle with sauce and garnish with mint.

EASY RASPBERRY & GINGER TRIFLE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Put 50ml of the alcohol in a bowl with the cream cheese and beat with an electric whisk until smooth. Add the cream and sugar and beat again until well mixed and softly whipped.
• Using a pastry brush, quickly brush a gingernut biscuit with a little of the remaining alcohol. Stack, brushed-side down, on a cake plate or stand, then repeat to make a large round base of biscuits. Spread over a layer of cream, squish in some raspberries, then repeat with another layer of biscuits, pressing down slightly to stick. Repeat layers, finishing with a fourth layer of cream and raspberries. Cover with an upturned mixing bowl, or very loosely with cling film, then chill until ready to serve. It's good after 2 hrs, but could be made the day before, too. Serve with a sprinkling of crushed gingernut biscuit.

GINGER-PEACH CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300°F. Wrap foil around outside of bottom and side of 9-inch springform pan to catch drips. In medium bowl, stir together crust ingredients. Press on bottom and 1 inch up side of pan.
• In large bowl, beat all filling ingredients except eggs and peaches with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. On low speed, beat in eggs until blended. Gently stir in peaches. Pour into crust.
• Bake 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until edge of cheesecake is set but center still jiggles slightly when moved. Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes longer.
• Remove cheesecake from oven; place on cooling rack. Without releasing side of pan, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Cover loosely; refrigerate at least 6 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• In small bowl, mix topping ingredients. Carefully spread over top of cheesecake. Run metal spatula along side of cheesecake to loosen. Remove side of pan; leave cheesecake on pan bottom to serve. Store covered in refrigerator.

MANGO CHEESECAKE WITH SWEET GINGER CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine gingersnap cookie crumbs and melted butter in a bowl; mix until well combined. Press into the bottom of 9-inch cake pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes; let cool, about 10 minutes.
• Puree 1 mango using a food processor. Slice the other mango and arrange in an even layer over the cooled crust.
• Beat the cream cheese, white sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl using an electric mixer on low speed until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add mango puree; mix on low speed until combined. Mix by hand to finish. Pour batter into cake pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until set, 55 to 65 minutes.
• Turn oven off; let cake stand for 30 minutes in the oven with the door open 4 inches. Remove from oven; refrigerate.

CHAI-SPICED CHEESECAKE WITH GINGER CRUST

Steps:

• For crust:
• Spray 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Sift flour, ginger, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in another medium bowl until blended. Beat in egg yolk, then flour mixture. Stir in crystallized ginger. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Roll out on floured surface to 9-inch round. Transfer to prepared pan. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of pan; pierce all over with fork. Freeze 30 minutes.
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until set, about 30 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Bake crust until golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Cool crust completely on rack.
• For filling:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add mascarpone; beat until smooth. Beat in whole eggs, 1 at a time, then beat in yolks. Add next 6 ingredients; beat until blended. Transfer filling to cooled crust in pan; smooth top. Bake cake 1 hour. Reduce oven temperature to 200°F. Continue baking until cake is set around edges but center moves slightly when pan is gently shaken (top of cake may crack), about 30 minutes longer. Remove cake from oven. Increase oven temperature to 350°F.
• For topping:
• Whisk all ingredients in small bowl; spread evenly over top of cake. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Run small knife around cake sides. Chill uncovered overnight. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Remove pan sides. Transfer cake to platter. Cut into wedges and serve.

GINGER YULE CAKE WITH PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE FILLING

Steps:

• For the pumpkin cheesecake filling: Make the filling ahead of time and chill while you are making your cake. Add the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice and beat on medium speed just until incorporated. Change the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until all the sugar is incorporated, then increase the mixer speed and beat for 2 more minutes. Fold in the pecans. Chill while you bake the cake. (See Cook's Note.)
• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a 16-by-11-inch jelly roll/sheet pan with nonstick baking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper and spray again lightly with baking spray. Set aside.
• Whisk together the cake flour, cornstarch, ginger and salt in a large bowl.
• Put the eggs, egg yolks and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until pale in color and thickened, around 5 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and beat a few more seconds to combine.
• Sift the flour mixture over the egg and sugar mixture and gently fold with a spatula until combined.
• Add the egg whites and remaining tablespoon granulated sugar to a separate grease-free bowl and whip until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture with a spatula. Remove 1/4 cup batter to each of 3 separate bowls and add a couple drops of orange food color to one, red to another and brown to the last. Stir just to incorporate.
• Brush an abstract pattern with the colorful batter onto the parchment. Freeze at least 10 minutes, and up to 30 minutes. Pour the remaining plain batter over the top of the design and smooth gently to even out. Bake until lightly golden brown and the cake pulls away from the edges, 6 to 7 minutes.
• Let the cake sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. Sift the entire surface with powdered sugar. Cover with a clean towel and use the bottom of a sheet pan to flip the cake out of pan onto the towel. Remove the pan and parchment paper. Cover the exposed top of the cake with a second clean kitchen towel and again use the bottom of a sheet pan to flip the cake back over. Remove the towel from the top of the cake and use the towel that is underneath the cake to help roll it into a tight roll, rolling short end to short end. Set aside to cool completely.
• Gently unroll the cake and spread the filling in an even layer over it. Roll the cake back up using the towel as a guide. Place on a sheet pan or your serving platter and refrigerate for 2 hours before slicing and serving.

WHITE CHOCOLATE-GINGER CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• FOR CRUST:
• Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Wrap outside of pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind cookies, sugar and ginger in processor. Add butter; blend until moist clumps form. Press onto bottom and up sides of pan. Chill while preparing filling.
• FOR FILLING:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 300°F. Stir white chocolate in top of double boiler set over hot water until chocolate melts. Cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and yolk 1 at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Beat in vanilla and ground ginger. Gradually beat in melted white chocolate. Stir in crystallized ginger.
• Transfer filling to prepared crust. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until cheesecake puffs and edges crack slightly, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Transfer cake to rack. Run small knife around sides of cake to loosen. Cool completely. Remove foil from pan sides. Chill cake overnight. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)
• Release pan sides. Transfer cake to platter. Top with chocolate curls.