WHITE CHOCOLATE & ALMOND AMARETTO CHEESECAKE
Ingredients
For The Crust:
- 2 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (roughly 2 bags from a box)
- 1/4 cup plain almonds, chopped very fine in food processor
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 Tbsp. Amaretto
For The Filling:
- 2 (8 oz.) packages Cream cheese, softened
- 2 (8 oz.) packages Neufchâtel cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 3 Tbsp. Amaretto
- 1 tsp. almond extract
- 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup almonds, chopped very fine in food processor
- 2 oz. Baker's Premium White Chocolate, finely chopped
For Topping:
- 1 (16 oz.) container sour cream
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. almond extract
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds for garnish
Instructions
- Grease a 9 inch Springform Pan and set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, almonds, sugar and Amaretto for the crust.
- Spread the crust into your pan evenly and half way up the sides, while pressing down firmly.
- Set aside.
- In your Kitchen Aid Mixer, cream the cheeses with the sugar.
- Add the eggs, one at at time, beating until just combined after each addition.
- Add the almonds, the Amaretto, almond extract, vanilla extract, pinch of salt and combine.
- Stir in the white chocolate.
- Pour the filling into the crust.
- Place your Springform pan on top of a baking sheet and bake for 55-65 minutes, or until the cheesecake is almost set.
- Meanwhile, mix together the topping in a small bowl.
- When the cheesecake is almost set, remove it from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Spread the sour cream topping evenly over the cheesecake and bake another 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Carefully, take a knife and go around the edges of the pan to loosen, and leaving the cheesecake still in the Spring form pan, move to a cooling rack.
- Sprinkle with sliced almonds.
- After about an hour of cooling, place the cheesecake on a plate, still in the Spring form pan and place in the refrigerator to chill overnight.
- The next day,remove the sides of the pan and slice.
- You can use a long knife dipped in very hot water to slice the cheesecake.
- You can serve the next day, or freeze individual slices, separated with small pieces of parchment paper in a freezer friendly container for your convenience.
- Makes (1) 9 inch cheesecake, about 12 servings.