Almond Cheesecake with Nut Crust Recipe

Cheesecake is a sweet dessert consisting of one or more layers. The main, and thickest layer, consists of a mixture of soft, fresh cheese (typically cream cheese or ricotta), eggs, vanilla and sugar; if there is a bottom layer it often consists of a crust or base made from crushed cookies (or digestive biscuits), graham crackers, pastry, or sponge cake.

...............................................................................................................

Almond Cheesecake with Nut Crust Recipe

Nut Crust:

• 1 9 inch springform pan
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped nuts
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons butter, softened

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF
2. Place all ingredients in mixing bowl and blend thoroughly
3. Press firmly the mixture into the bottom and partially up the sides of a greased springform pan
4. Bake for about 6 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown. Cool before filling

Almond Cheesecake Filling:

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened to room temp.
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/3 cup chopped almonds
• 3 cups sour cream

1. Heat oven to 375ºF
2. Beat together cream cheese and sugar until fluffy
3. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating thoroughly after each egg
4. Add extracts, almonds and sour cream. Mix until well blended
5. Pour mixture into prepared crust and bake for 1 hour, or until set. Turn off oven, open the oven door slightly and

cool to room temp. Chill.

Top with whatever you like or plain. Cherries go great with almonds and so does chocolate. I whipped heavy cream, added vanilla and almond extract, powdered sugar, until the whipped cream was thick. Stiff peaks.

Enjoy

Photographer: James from Boulder, USA / 2.0 license /

.............................................................................................................................

Holidays To Remember:

National Cheesecake Day / July 30

National Pie Day / January 23

National Nut Day / October 22

..............................................................................................................................

Recipe: Chocolate Grasshopper Cheesecake

Celebrate National Chocolate Mint Day, St. Patrick's Day or any green theme party with this beautiful and tasty cheesecake by Pillsbury.

Let's Talk About It:
I'm thinking this is what I want to eat for National Chocolate Mint Day which is celebrated every February 19th. I really like the idea of using chocolate Creme de menthe candy to top the whipped cream. It really sets off the cheesecake with it's double stripe and gives it a great tongue tingling balance. Well that's what I think anyway.

Recipe: Chocolate Grasshopper Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS
Crust

• 30 fudge mint cookies, crushed (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Filling

• 4 oz semisweet baking chocolate
• 3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup green crème de menthe liqueur*
• Topping and Garnish, if desired
• Sweetened whipped cream
• Crème de menthe thin rectangular candies for garnish, unwrapped, cut in half diagonally

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 300°F. Wrap foil around bottom and side of ungreased 9-inch springform pan. In large bowl, mix crust ingredients with fork until crumbly. Press in bottom and 1 inch up side of pan. Bake 12 minutes. Cool 30 minutes.
2. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate on High 45 to 60 seconds, stirring once halfway through microwaving, until melted. If necessary, continue to microwave on High in 15-second increments, stirring until smooth. Set aside.
3. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl frequently, until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Stir in liqueur. Pour filling evenly over crust.
4. Drop 8 to 10 tablespoonfuls melted chocolate randomly onto filling, allowing chocolate to sink into filling. With table knife or small spatula, cut through chocolate and filling to swirl for marbled design.
5. Bake 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until set 2 inches from edge of pan. Remove from oven; run knife around side of cheesecake to loosen. Return to oven; turn oven off and open door slightly. Cool cheesecake in oven 1 hour. Remove from oven to cooling rack; cool at room temperature 1 hour. Refrigerate 3 hours.
6. To serve, remove side of pan. Spoon whipped cream into decorating bag with large star tip; squeeze bag to pipe cream around top edge of cheesecake. Garnish with candies.

*One teaspoon peppermint extract and 4 to 6 drops green food color can be substituted for the crème de menthe liqueur.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Before heating oven, place small baking pan filled with 1 to 2 cups water on oven rack below cheesecake to help prevent cheesecake from cracking. Bake 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):

Before heating oven, place small baking pan filled with 1 to 2 cups water on oven rack below cheesecake to help prevent cheesecake from cracking. Bake 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.