Amaretto Cheesecake, Version 2

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup toasted almond, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon amaretto
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 7 ounces almond paste, such as odense (or marzipan)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/3 cup amaretto (such as disarono)
• 28 ounces cream cheese, softened, at room temperature
• 4 eggs, at room temperature

Recipe

• 1 for the crust: place almonds on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees f. for 8-10 minutes. remove from oven. let cool. grind in food processor, and set aside.
• 2 in a mixing bowl put ground almonds, amaretto, melted butter, and graham cracker crumbs, and mix with an electric mixer until combined evenly. press the mixture onto the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan and refrigerate.
• 3 for the cheesecake filling: preheat the oven to 350 degrees f. place almond paste in a food processor with flour. pulse until it is fluffy and evenly ground. combine the almond paste mixture, amaretto, and sugar in a mixing bowl; beat with electric mixer until smooth. beat in one-third of the cream cheese at a time, mixing well after each addition. beat in the eggs one at a time, then pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan. bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes.
• 4 let cake cool on counter for several hours. refrigerate, uncovered, over night. cover in the morning. it tastes better if it has had a chance to sit for 24 hours. when serving, let the flavors "bloom" by allowing the cake to warm to room temperature before serving.