-CRUST INGREDIENTS-
1 1/4 c Almonds; finely chopped
3 tb Butter; melted
3 tb Sugar, granulated
2 tb Flour, all-purpose
FILLING INGREDIENTS
28 oz Cream cheese (3 1/2pkg)
1/4 c Light brown sugar
1/2 c Sugar, granulated
4 Eggs
2 tb Lemon juice, fresh
2 tb Cointreau liqueur
2 tb Vanilla extract
1 1/2 ts Cinnamon
1 c Dairy sour cream
TOPPING INGREDIENTS
4 oz White chocolate,small pieces
1/4 c Heavy cream
1 tb Cointreau liqueur
– or 1/4ts lemon extract
Whipped cream
Almonds, sliced, toasted
Lemon peel, grated
Preheat oven to 425F 707C. For crust combine all crust ingredients, mix
well. Press into bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 12-15 mins. or until
golden. Cool while preparing filling.
Reduce oven temp to 350F 572C. Beat cream cheese in large mixer bowl on
high speed of mixer until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugars until light and
fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Mix in lemon juice, Cointreau, vanilla and cinnamon. Gently fold in sour
cream. Pour over crust. Bake 65-70 min. or until center of cake is just
set. Remove from oven and cook completely on wire rack. Refrigerate
covered, several hours or overnight.
For topping, combine white chocolate and cream in small heavy saucepan.
Heat over low to moderate heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate is
melted. Remove from heat; cool 10 min. Stir in Cointreau or lemon extract.
Pour over cake. Refrigerate 2-3 ;hours, or until topping is set.
To serve, place springform pan on serving plate. Carefully run metal
spatula around edges. Remove sides of pan. Pipe whipped cream through
pastry tube fitted with rosette tip around outer edges of top of
cheesecake. Optional garnishes: sliced almonds, lemon peel, shaven white
chocolate. Serve. One additional tbs of fresh lemon juice may be
substituted for the Cointreau.
Wine Suggestion: an elegant New York Sparkling Wine, a luscious late
harvest Riesling, Vignoles or a Vidal Ice Wine.
Yields
1 Cake