AMARETTO CHEESECAKE



Recipe by: Chicago Tribune test kitchens


CRUST:

1.25 cups finely crushed vanilla wafer crumbs
1/2 cup finely ground blanched almonds
6 tbs. butter, melted

FILLING:

3 8-oz. pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 cup sour cream
3 large eggs
1/4 cup Amaretto liqueur


Heat oven to 350F. Lightly butter an 8-inch springform pan.

For crust, put vanilla wafer crumbs, ground almonds and butter in mixing
bowl. Mix with wooden spoon until crumbs are moistened. Press into bottom
and slightly up sides of springform pan.

For filling, beat cream cheese in electric mixer bowl until smooth. Add
sugar, salt and almond extract. Continue to beat until light and fluffy,
about 3 minutes. Beat in sour cream. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well
after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl. Slowly beat in
Amaretto. Continue to beat at medium speed until well blended, 3 to 4
minutes.

Pour filling into prepared pan. Bake until cake is golden and set, 1 hour 10
minutes. Turn off oven. Prop oven door open a few inches. Let cake cool in
oven 1 to 2 hours. Remove cake from oven. Cover with foil. Refrigerate
overnight.