Chocolate-Almond Cheesecake
Chocolate-Almond Cheesecake
1 ½ cups chocolate wafer crumbs
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted and chopped
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
¼ cup amaretto
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 (16 oz) carton sour cream
1 T sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
Combine first 4 ingredients; firmly press in bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
Beat cream cheese in a large mixing bowl at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating well. Add liqueur, almond extract, and 1 tsp vanilla; beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Pour into prepared crust. Bake at 375 for 50 minutes; remove from oven, and let stand 5 minutes (center will be soft.) Combine sour cream, 1 T sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla; spread evenly on top of cheesecake. Bake at 500 for 5 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Cover and chill 8 hours.
To serve, remove sides of pan, and press ½ cup slivered almonds around top edge of cheesecake.