-CRUST-
1 c Unbleached flour 7 tb Unsalted butter; chilled and
1/3 c Sugar Cut into pieces
1/4 c Almonds; toasted 1 Egg yolk
1/4 ts Salt 1/4 ts Almond extract
FILLING
4 8oz packages cream cheese; 1 tb Vanilla extract
At room temperature 4 lg Eggs
1 1/2 c Sugar 2 c Sour cream
1/4 c Scotch whisky
-BUTTERSCOTCH TOPPING-
2 c Sugar 3/4 c Toasted almonds; very
2/3 c Plus 1 T scotch whisky Coarsely chopped
2/3 c Whipping cream Sweetened whipped cream
1/4 c Unsalted butter
Crust: Preheat oven to 350F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch
springform, pan with 3-inch high sides, with foil. Butter and flour
foil. Blend first 4 ingredients in processor until nuts are finely
chopped. Add butter, yolk and extract and blend until mixture begins
to gather together. Press onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan.
Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack, cool 10
minutes. Release cake pan sides from crust. Gently turn out crust
onto rack, peel off foil and cool. Place crust back into pan and
reattach pan sides. Maintain oven temperature.
Filling: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, 1 1/4 cups sugar,
Scotch and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Add eggs, one
at a time, beating just until combined. Pour into crust-lined pan.
Bake cheesecake until set at edges, but centre 3-inch area still
moves slightly when pan is shaken, about 50 minutes. Place on rack
and cool 10 minutes.
Mix sour cream with remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Spoon sour cream
mixture over cheesecake. Bake 10 minutes. Transfer cheesecake to
rack and cool 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around top edge of
pan to loosen cake. Chill overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead)
Topping: Stir sugar and 2/3 cup Scotch in heavy large saucepan over
medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without
stirring until syrup turns golden, occasionally brushing down sides
of pan with pastry brush dipped in water and swirling pan. Add 2/3
cup cream and butter (mixture will bubble) and stir until smooth.
Cool 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon Scotch. Let stand until cool,
but still pourable, about 2 hours. Mix in 1/2 cup almonds
Spoon all but 1/2 cup butterscotch topping over cheesecake (remove
remainder for another use) Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped
almonds. Refrigerate up to 1 hour.
Run sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides.
Spoon cream into pastry bag fitted with star tip. Pipe cream over top
edge of cake.
Yields
12 servings