Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. (This step can be done in a food processor.)

Add pecans and stir lightly to blend.

Press 1 1/4 cups mixture firmly in a 9-x 9-inch square pan. Set aside.

To the remaining crumbs, add the ginger, baking soda, cloves and salt; mix lightly.

In a medium size mixing bowl, mix together the molasses, pumpkin, egg, and vanilla extract. Add to flour mixture and mix well.

Pour evenly over the cookie base. The mixture is thick; be careful when spreading it because the cookie base will easily stick to the mixture and pull away from the bottom of the baking dish.

Bake 40 minutes, or until crust is firm and a tester comes out clean. (I found that the crust did not actually get very firm.)

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.

Add the brown sugar and corn syrup.

Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the sugar dissolves, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes.

Add the half and half, return to a boil, and remove from the heat.

Stir in the vanilla. Serve the warm gingerbread, cut into squares, with teh hot caramel sauce over the top.