Toasted Almond Cheesecake Recipes

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.

NO BAKE ORANGE CHEESECAKE WITH TOASTED ALMONDS

Steps:

• 1. Crust: Lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan with non-stick cooking spray. Finely chop ½ cup of the almonds, set aside. Put the cookies into a sealable plastic bag and crush them into fine crumbs by rolling over them with a rolling pin. Transfer the crumbs to a large bowl and mix in the chopped nuts, cinnamon and butter. Press the crumbs in an even layer into the bottom of the pan. Top the crust with 1/4 cup sliced almonds so that some are in the crust and some sitting on top of it. Refrigerate.
• 2. Filling: Sprinkle the gelatin over the orange juice in a small saucepan, let stand 1 minute. Heat over low heat until gelatin is melted, set aside. Grate 1 tsp. zest from the orange and set aside. Beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth 3-5 minutes in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat in condensed milk; scrape down the bowl after addition. When mixture is smooth, stir in melted gelatin and grated orange rind. Spoon the filling over the crust, tapping the sides of the pan to even the filling out. Refrigerate 2 hours or until set.
• 3. Peel the rind from the rest of the orange, place it on a cutting board and slice it into ¼-inch thick rounds. Top the cake with the orange rounds and remaining ¼ cup sliced almonds.

BUTTERSCOTCH ALMOND CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For Crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides with foil. Butter and flour foil. Blend first 4 ingredients in processor until nuts are finely chopped. Add butter, yolk and extract and blend until mixture begins to gather together. Press onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Bake until golden about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack. Cool 10 minutes. Release cake pan sides from crust. Gently turn out crust onto rack; peel off foil and cool. Place crust back into pan and reattach pan sides. Maintain oven temperature.
• For Filling:
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, 1 1/4 cups sugar, Scotch and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined. Pour into crust-lined pan. Bake cheesecake until set at edges but center 3-inch area still moves slightly when pan is shaken, about 50 minutes. Place on rack; cool 10 minutes.
• Mix sour cream with remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Spoon sour cream mixture over cheesecake. Bake 10 minutes. Transfer cheesecake to rack and cool 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around top edge of pan to loosen cake. Chill overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead.)
• For Topping
• Stir sugar and 2/3 cup Scotch in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup turns golden, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with pastry brush dipped into water and swirling pan. Add 2/3 cup cream and butter (mixture will bubble) and stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon Scotch. Let stand until cool but still pourable, about 2 hours. Mix in 1/2 cup almonds.
• Spoon all but 1/2 cup butterscotch topping over cheesecake (reserve remainder for another use). Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped almonds. Refrigerate up to 1 hour.
• Run sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Spoon cream into pastry bag fitted with star tip. Pipe cream over top edge of cake.

LUSCIOUS ALMOND CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the wafer crumbs, almonds and sugar; stir in the butter and mix well. Press into the bottom of a greased 10-in. springform pan; set aside. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in extracts. Pour into crust. Place on a baking sheet., Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from the oven; let stand for 5 minutes (leave oven on). Combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Spoon around edge of cheesecake; carefully spread over filling. Bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight., Just before serving, sprinkle with almonds and remove sides of pan. Refrigerate leftovers.

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.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ALMOND CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine crust ingredients; reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish. Press remaining crumbs evenly onto the bottom and 2 in. up the sides of a 9-in. springform pan. Chill. , For filling, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the sour cream, chocolate and extract. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into crust., Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes (filling will not be set). Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes., Meanwhile, combine topping ingredients. Gently spread over filling. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Bake 10 minutes longer. , Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Garnish with sliced, toasted almonds if desired.