-CRUST-
1 1/2 c Graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c Sugar
6 tb Melted butter
FILLING
2 1/4 lb Cream cheese; room
-temperature
3 oz Semisweet chocolate; melted
1/4 c Sugar; sifted
5 Eggs
2/3 c Broken mixed nuts; unsalted
1/3 c Hazelnut liqueur
1 tb Vanilla
1/2 c Raisins
1/3 c Whole mixed nuts
1/4 c Dark rum
CRUST: Melt butter. Mix crumbs and sugar, add butter to crumb mixture and
mix thoroughly. Coat springform pan with non-stick spray or cold butter.
Add crumb-butter mixture to springform pan and distribute evenly. Press
down firmly, using a flat surface tool (such as the bottom of a glass).
Bake for 10 minutes at 350. Let rest for 30 minutes.
FILLING: Mix raisins and dark rum in a pot. Bring to a boil. Remove from
heat and allow to rest and absorb the rum. Place cream cheese in mixing
bowl, mix at low speed for one minute. Add sugar in steady stream while
mixer is on at low speed. Stop mixer, scrape sides of mixing bowl with a
spatula. Turn on again, add eggs slowly to cream cheese mixture, in five
equal amounts. Stop-scrape-turn on. Add hazelnut liqueur and vanilla
(stop-scrape-turn on). Add melted chocolate. Continue to mix until fully
incorporated (stop-scrape-turn on). Stop mixer. Pour half of filling
through a sieve into the springform pan. NOTE: The mixture will be thick
but will pour easily, similar to thick paint. Sprinkle half of the raisins
and half of the broken mixed nuts evenly over the bottom half of the
filling. Spoon in the second half of the filling over the first half.
Sprinkle the remaining raisins and broken mixed nuts over the top half of
the filling. Push them down gently as to be covered by the filling, but
close to the top. Place the whole nuts in any decorative fashion on top.
Wrap the outside of the springform tightly with Saran Wrap. Repeat with
foil. Bake in water bath at 350 degrees for one hour. Check if done by
gently shaking the cheesecake to see if the center is wobly. Gently and
carefully touch the edges and the center to compare doneness. You may need
to cook an additional 30 minutes, depending on your oven. When done, remove
foil and Saran Wrap, and run a hot-moist knife around the edges. Let rest
for 4 hours at room temperature on a cooling rack. Refrigerate overnight
uncovered..Serve with whipped cream and a strawberry if you wish.
Yields
1 Servings