Almond Cheesecake Recipes

CRUSTLESS ALMOND CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar for 2 minutes or until smooth. Add the egg and almond extract; beat on low speed just until combined., Pour into a 7-in. pie plate coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Remove to a wire rack; cool for 5 minutes., Combine topping ingredients; spread over cream cheese filling. Bake 7-8 minutes longer or until set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve with assorted fruit if desired.

ALMOND CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom and side of 10-inch springform pan with baking spray with flour. Wrap outside of side and bottom of pan with foil.
• Reserve 1/2 cup of the cake mix; set aside. In large bowl, beat remaining cake mix and butter with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly. Press in bottom and 1 1/2 inches up side of pan. Bake about 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (300°F for dark or nonstick pan).
• In same large bowl, beat reserved 1/2 cup cake mix and the cream cheese on medium speed until well blended. Beat in 3/4 cup sugar, the whipping cream and almond extract on medium speed until smooth and creamy. On low speed, beat in eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Pour batter over crust. Place springform pan in large roasting pan on oven rack. Pour boiling water into roasting pan halfway up side of springform pan.
• Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until edge is set but center jiggles slightly when moved. Cool in pan (in water bath) on cooling rack 20 minutes. Remove pan from water bath. Carefully run knife around side of pan to loosen, but do not remove side of pan. Cool 1 hour 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Cover loosely; refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, cook almonds and 4 teaspoons sugar over low heat about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until sugar is melted and almonds are coated. Cool on waxed paper; break apart.
• Remove side of pan before serving. Garnish cheesecake with sugared almonds. Store covered in refrigerator.

MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE WITH ALMOND CRUST

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Tightly wrap the outside of a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind the almonds, cracker crumbs, and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter and process until moist crumbs form. Press the almond mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan (not on the sides of the pan). Bake the crust until it is set and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Cool. Decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• For the filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and sugar in a large bowl until smooth, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
• Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the center of the cheesecake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 5 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold). Transfer the cake to a rack; cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• For the topping: Combine the chocolate-hazelnut spread and cream in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave until warm, stirring every 20 seconds to blend, about 1 minute.
• Cut the cake into wedges. Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the wedges and serve.

ALMOND CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat eggs to blend in small bowl. Combine cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup almonds, 1 1/2 tablespoons beaten egg and 1 teaspoon sugar in processor. Using on/off turns, blend until almonds are finely ground and crumb mixture holds together, adding more beaten egg by teaspoonfuls if mixture is crumbly. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish (crust will be thin). Bake crust until set, about 8 minutes. Cool while preparing filling.
• Beat nonfat and reduced-fat cream cheeses and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in remaining beaten eggs, then vanilla extract, lemon peel and almond extract. Gently spread filling in prepared crust. Bake cheesecake until puffed and firm to touch in center, about 40 minutes.
• Remove cheesecake from oven. Spread sour cream evenly over top; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup almonds. Cool cheesecake on rack 1 hour. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Cut into wedges.

ALMOND AMARETTO CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• CRUST: 1. Place oven racks in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with a round of parchment paper (cut to fit), set aside. 2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter and salt until well combined. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, press crust into the bottom and halfway up the sides of prepared springform pan. Bake for 7 minutes and remove from the oven and set aside. 3. Reduce oven heat to 325°F. FILLING: 1. In a large bowl using a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), beat cream cheese with granulated sugar until no lumps remain. 2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating mixture between each egg, then beat in the amaretto, vanilla extract and almond extract. Add cornstarch and salt and beat until smooth. 3. Tap the cheesecake batter bowl on the counter for 30-45 seconds to remove as many air bubbles as possible. You should see them popping on the surface as you tap the bowl. Pour filling into the center of the graham cracker crust and gently smooth the top. 4. Bake for 30 minutes at 325°F. Reduce temperature to 250°F and continue baking for another 35 minutes. Once this time has elapsed, turn the oven off and keep cheesecake inside for another 30 minutes, but DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR. After the 30 minutes has passed, crack the oven door open to let cheesecake cool slowly for one hour before removing. 5. Allow cheesecake to cool to room temperature on the counter (approximately 3-4 hours) before covering with plastic wrap and transferring to the fridge to chill. 6. Refrigerate cheesecake until completely chilled (about 6-8 hours, or overnight). Open springform pan and remove the metal collar. TOPPING: 1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and spread the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake them for 7 to 8 minutes or until just fragrant. Remove from oven and set aside. 2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and brown sugar, stirring often, until smooth. Add the heavy cream and amaretto and bring to a low boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in toasted almonds. Allow sauce to cool to room temperature before pouring over the cooled cheesecake.

LEMON AND ALMOND UNBAKED CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom of the springform pan and line with parchment or waxed paper. Set aside.
• To make the base: Beat together the butter and sugar by hand until light and fluffy. Beat in the yolk until smooth. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. With a rubber spatula, gently fold into the butter mixture. The mixture will be crumbly.
• Transfer the dough into the prepared springform pan and use your hands to pat it down evenly and firmly over the bottom. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the crust is golden and baked through. Transfer to a rack and cool base completely.
• To make the filling: Combine the rum and lemon juice in a medium, heatproof bowl, and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface. Allow to soak for 5 minutes, then place the bowl over a small pan of gently simmering water and stir several times to melt the gelatin, about 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the pan and cool the gelatin slightly.
• In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until soft and light, scraping the bowl and beaters often. Beat in the cream until smooth. Combine the egg whites and sugar in the clean, dry bowl of the electric mixer and heat over simmering water, whisking constantly, until the egg whites are hot and sugar is dissolved. Attach the bowl to the mixer and whip with the whisk attachment at medium speed until cold and firm. Beat 1/4 of the cream cheese mixture into the dissolved gelatin, then beat the gelatin mixture into the remaining cream cheese. Fold in the meringue in several additions. Pour the filling into the prepared pan and refrigerate until at least 6 hours or overnight.
• To prepare the almonds: Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• Put the almonds in a jellyroll pan, pour the egg whites over them, and rub the almonds between the palms of your hands to coat evenly. Stir in the sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring often, until the almonds are well toasted and sugar has caramelized slightly. Cool, and store in a tin or jar at room temperature until ready to use.
• To make the glaze: Combine the water and lemon juice in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface. Allow to soak for 5 minutes.
• Bring the jelly to a boil and add the gelatin mixture. Return to a boil, and remove from heat. Add the food coloring and pour over the chilled cheesecake. Chill again to set the glaze.
• To unmold the cheesecake, run a knife or thin spatula around the inside of the pan pressing the knife against the pan, not the cake. Unbuckle the pan side and lift off. Leave the cake on the base, or run a spatula under the cake base and slide the cake onto a platter. Press the sugared almonds around the sides.
• Keep refrigerated until time to serve. To serve, cut the cake into wedges with a knife warmed in hot water and wiped dry, refrigerate leftovers.

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add the chocolate graham crackers and the almonds to the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Add the butter and salt and process again until it is the consistency of wet sand. Press the crust into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Make the topping: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour and almonds. Using your fingers, work in the butter until it is the texture of a crumble topping. Set aside.
• Make the filling: Place the cream cheese, yogurt and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the ingredients on medium speed for 3 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the eggs, almond extract, vanilla extract and salt and beat another minute on medium. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the melted chocolate until combined.
• Pour the filling over the crust and sprinkle evenly with the crumble topping. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the center of the cake is just set. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until completely chilled. Serve cold. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Special equipment: a 9-inch springform pan
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the crust: Add the chocolate graham crackers and the almonds to a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Add the butter and salt and process to the consistency of wet sand. Press the crust into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the topping: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour and almonds. Using your fingers, work in the butter until the mixture has the texture of a crumble topping. Set aside.
• For the filling: Place the cream cheese, sugar and yogurt in a large bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs, almond extract, vanilla extract and salt; beat another minute on medium. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the chocolate until combined. Pour the filling over the crust and sprinkle evenly with the crumble topping.
• Bake until the center of the cake is just set, 45 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until completely chilled.
• Serve cold, with a dusting of powdered sugar if desired.

ALMOND CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300.
• Combine graham crackers crumbs, sugar and butter.
• Press into springform pan.
• Beat cheese until fluffy.
• Gradually beat in milk.
• Add eggs and almond extract.
• Mix well.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake 45- 50 minutes.
• Cool and chill.
• Serve plain or with your favorite topping.
• This can be done very quickly and simply by putting crackers, sugar and butter into a food processor.
• Blend for a minute.
• Prepare pan.
• Put cheese and milk in processor, blend.
• Add eggs and flavoring and process until thoroughly blended.
• Pour in pan.
• This whole process takes less than 5 minutes to prepare.

TOASTED ALMOND CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325ºF if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 300°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Finely chop 1 cup of the almonds; mix with graham crumbs and butter. Press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 8 min; cool completely.
• Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream and liqueur; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.
• Bake 50 to 55 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around side of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing side of pan. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup almonds just before serving. Store any leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.