WHITE CHOCOLATE AMARETTO CHEESECAKE
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Ingredients
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Crust:
10 - 12     double graham crackers
1/2 C       almonds, finely chopped
1/4 C       unsalted butter
1/3 C       dark brown sugar

Cake:
2 1/4 lb    cream cheese, softened
5           eggs @ room temperature
4 Tbsp      amaretto
6 oz        white chocolate, finely Grated
1 tsp       almond extract
1/2 tsp     Vanilla extract
1 C         granulated sugar

Decoration:
1 oz        bittersweet or dark chocolate
2 oz        almond slices, toasted 


Procedure
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Crust:
1 place graham crackers & almonds in food processer, & pulse until finely chopped.
2 Pour into 10" springform pan, then by hand mix in brown sugar & melted butter until it all sticks
    together. Double foil wrap outside of pan to make it leakproof.
3 Mold mixture to bottom & half way up the sides of the pan. Press firmly into the seam around the
    bottom so theres no hidden spaces. Leave no holes.
4 Bake in pre-heated (to 350 degrees) oven for 8-10 minutes on middle rack. Allow to cool on rack.
5 Place a water bath into oven on middle rack now.
6 When cool, grease the exposed top half of the sides of the pan lightly.

Cake:
1 At med speed in large mixing bowl (preferably stainless steel) beat cream cheese until totally
    smooth.
2 Continue mixing, & add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly between each.
3 Mix in rest of cake ingredients until well combined.
4 Pour into cooled crust.

Baking-
1 Bake for 60-70 minutes in hot water bath. Its ready when it passes the clean toothpick test
    (about 1.5" from edge of cake). The cake should be almost set.
2 Allow to cool for an hour in an open oven with the heat off.
3 Remove from oven, place on wire rack, cover pan with two layers of paper towels, & then a plate.
4 Allow to cool 3-4 hours, then cover with plastic wrap & refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

Depanning & garnishing-
1 When fully cool, gently release the pans hasp. Warming the sides of the pan *slightly* with a
    hair dryer can help depanning. The idea is to soften the thin layer of butter between the pan &
    the cake without softening the cake or the crust.
2 Toss almond slices with a bit of confectioners sugar, & sprinkle over cake.
3 Garnish center of cake with a few curls of dark or bittersweet chocolate.
4 Cut cake with a hot knife.

Tips for cheesecakes in general: If you can, allow to cool in the open oven. The slower it cools,
  the better. Use an oven thermometer if you have it.