Method

• 1.
  Grease and line the base and sides of two 15cm round cakes pans with baking paper.

• 2.
  Place biscuits in a food processor and whiz to fine crumbs. Add butter and whiz to combine, then press mixture into base of one pan. Chill until needed.
• 3.
  Place the pumpkin in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Cook in microwave on high for 12 minutes or until very tender. (Alternatively, cook in a steamer for 20-25 minutes). Transfer to a colander to drain excess liquid and cool completely.
• 4.
  Preheat oven to 160°C. Whiz pumpkin in a clean food processor until very smooth. Add cream cheese and whiz for 7 minutes or until smooth. Add the sour cream, eggs and brown sugar, and whiz to combine. Add remaining ingredients, except caster sugar and figs, and whiz to combine. Divide batter between prepared pans (one cheesecake will have no biscuit base) and bake for 1 hour or until edges are set with a gentle wobble in centre. Turn off oven and leave cheesecakes in oven with door ajar for 3 hours or until cooled completely. Chill for at least 6 hours or overnight until cold and set.
• 5.
  To make praline for garnish, place caster sugar in a frypan over medium-high heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, for 6 minutes or until a dark golden caramel. Pour onto a foil-lined baking tray and set aside for 30 minutes or until hard and set. Break praline in half, then pulse one half in a clean food processor to crumbs.
• 6.
  For the buttercream, place eggwhites and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (don’t let bowl touch water). Whisk for 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches 40°C on a kitchen thermometer. Transfer to an electric mixer and whisk for 6 minutes or until cool. Whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time, until combined (mixture may look curdled, continue whisking until mixture comes together). Whisk in the cinnamon.
• 7.
  For the salted caramel, place sugar in a large frypan over medium-high heat and cook, swirling pan occasionally, for 6 minutes or until a dark caramel. Add glucose and swirl to combine, then remove from heat. Tilting pan away from you, carefully stir in cream and 1 tsp salt flakes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside for 30 minutes or until thickened and cool.
• 8.
  Run a palette knife between pans and baking paper to release cakes. Place cake with gingernut base on a serving plate. Spread the top with 1/2 cup buttercream, then top with second cake. Using a palette knife, spread top and sides with remaining buttercream, dragging knife around edges to reveal some cake. Drizzle with caramel. Top with figs, praline crumbs and shards.