White Chocolate-amaretto Cheesecake

–CAKE–
2 1/4 lb Softened cream cheese
5 Eggs; room temperature
1 c Granulated sugar
4 tb Amaretto
1/2 ts Vanilla extract (real)
1 ts Almond extract
6 oz White chocolate; finely
-grated (good quality; I use
-callebaut)

GARNISH
2 oz Toasted almond slices
1 ds Confectioner’s sugar
Bittersweet or dark
-chocolate

From: Max.Bloomfield@corp.sun.com (Max Bloomfield)

Date: Tue, 25 Jul 1995 00:51:10 -0800 (PDT)
Need: 10 inch spring form, double foil wrap outside to proof against leaks

Time: 1 hour prep, plus baking and chilling

Start: Day before serving

Oven temp: 350 degrees F., middle rack

1. Crust- place graham crackers and almonds in food processer, and pulse
until finely chopped. Pour into springform, then by hand mix in brown sugar
and melted butter until it all sticks together. Mold mixture to bottom and
half way up the sides of the pan. Press firmly into the seam around the
bottom so there’s no hidden spaces. Leave no holes. Bake in pre-heated oven
for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool on rack. Place a water bath into oven on
middle rack now. When cool, grease the exposed top half of the sides of the
pan lightly.

2. Cake- At medium speed in large mixing bowl (preferably stainless steel)
beat cream cheese until totally smooth. Continue mixing, and add eggs one
at a time, beating thoroughly between each. Mix in rest of cake ingredients
until well combined. Poor into cooled crust.

3. Baking- Bake for 60-70 minutes in already hot water bath. Cooking time
can vary greatly due to many factors here, so you know it’s ready when it
passes the clean toothpick test (Test about 1 1/2 inch from edge of cake).
The cake should be almost set. Allow to cook for an hour in an open oven
with the heat off. Remove from oven very carefully, place on wire rack,
cover pan with two layers of paper towels, and then a plate. Allow to cool
3-4 hours, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24
hours.

4. Depanning and garnishing- When fully cool, gently release the pan’s
hasp. Warming the sides of the pan *slightly* with a hair dryer can help
depanning. The idea is to soften the thin layer of butter between the pan
and the cake without softening the cake or the crust. Toss almond slices
with a bit of confectioner’s sugar, and sprinkle over cake. Garnish center
of cake with a few curls of dark or bittersweet chocolate. Cut cake with a
hot knife.

Tips for cheesecakes in general: If you can, allow to cool in the open
oven. The slower it cools, the better. Use an oven thermometer if you
have it. I’ve cooked in a lot of ovens where the dial markings had little
to no bearing on the actual oven temperature. The more even your oven heat,
the less the chance of cracks.

REC.FOOD.RECIPES ARCHIVES

/DESSERTS