- CHOCOLATE-FRANGELICO CHEESECAKE
20 chocolate-covered graham cracker cookies
3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
3 8-oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup plus 3 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
5 tsp cornstarch
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur)
1/3 cup almonds, toasted, chopped
1 tsp almond extract
4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder Position rack in center of oven and preheat to
425F. Wrap foil
9-inch-diameter springform pan with
3/4-inch-high sides. Finely grind graham cracker cookies in processor.
Add butter and process until blended. Press mixture onto bottom
(not sides) of prepared pan. Set aside.
Blend cream cheese, 2/3 cup sugar, sour cream and cornstarch in
processor. Add eggs, yolk and vanilla; process until well blended,
scraping down sides of processor occasionally. Transfer 3/4 cup
cream cheese mixture to small bowl; set aside. Add Frangelico,
almonds and almond extract to remaining cream cheese mixture in
processor. Blend well, using on/off turns. Spoon 2 1/2 cups Frangelico
mixture over crust.
3 tablespoons sugar into reserved
3/4 cup
cream cheese mixture. Spoon 2/3 cup cocoa mixture over Frangelico
mixture in pan. Spoon remaining Frangelico mixture over cocoa
mixture. Drop remaining cocoa mixture over by spoonfuls. Run tip
of small knife through batter several times to marbleize.
10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to
325F and bake cake until sides are puffed and center is set, about 45 minutes.
Transfer cake to rack. Using small knife, cut around sides of pan
to loosen cake. Cool cake completely in pan. Cover; chill overnight.
Remove pan sides from cake. Cut into wedges, garnish with whipped
cream and chocolate covered almonds and serve.
Makes 12 servings.