Kimberly Landsons Chocolate Almond Cheesecake Food

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.

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.

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.

KIMBERLY LANDSON'S CHOCOLATE ALMOND CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Combine crust ingredients and press into the bottom of a greased 9" (22.5cm) springform pan.
• Melt chocolate in microwave on medium, then let cool.
• Using electric mixer to beat cream cheese and Splenda to blend.
• Beat eggs and extracts until smooth.
• Blend in chocolate and sour cream.
• Pour into prepared pan and bake in the middle of the oven for 35 minutes or until set.
• Turn off oven, leave door ajar, and let cool in oven for 1 hour.
• Refrigerate, in cake pan, at least 3 hours or overnight.
• When completely cooled, remove pan sides.
• Top with whipped cream sweetened with Splenda, and sprinkle with coarsely chopped almonds.

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 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.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the wafer crumbs, almonds and sugar; stir in butter.
• Press onto the bottom and 1 3/4 inches up the sides of a greased 9 inch springform pan.
• Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• In a small saucepan, soften gelatin in milk; let stand for 5 minutes.
• Cook and stir over medium heat until gelatin is dissolved.
• Cool to room temperature, about 6 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream and almonds extract until smooth.
• Beat in melted chocolate and gelatin mixture.
• Fold in whipped cream.
• Spoon into crust.
• Cover and chill for 6 hours or overnight.
• Just before serving, run a knife around edge of pan to loosen.
• Remove sides of pan.
• Garnish with chocolate kisses, almonds and additional whipped cream.
• Refrigerate leftovers.

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F Wrap bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan with wide heavy-duty foil. In medium bowl, stir together cookie crumbs and melted butter until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press evenly into bottom and 1 inch up sides of pan. Bake 6-8 minutes or until set; cool on wire rack.
• Place 6 oz. chopped chocolate in medium heatproof bowl; place over saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir frequently until chocolate is smooth and melted; remove bowl from saucepan.
• In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar at low speed until smooth. Beat in flour. Beat in 2 of the eggs just until combined; repeat with remaining 2 eggs. Scrape down sides of bowl. Beat in sour cream and vanilla just until blended.
• Reserve 2 C batter in another medium bowl; stir in 1 t almond extract.
• Stir melted chocolate into batter in large bowl until completely blended; pour into crust. Place pan in large shallow roasting or broiler pan. Fill with hot tap water halfway up sides of springform pan.
• Bake 35 minutes. Carefully slide out oven rack several inches. Pour reserved almond batter evenly over cheesecake. Bake 25 minutes or until edges are puffed and top is dry to the touch. Remove cake from water bath; remove foil. Place on wire rack; cool for about 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, place 6 oz finely chopped chocolate in another large bowl. Place cream, 2 T butter and corny syrup in heavy medium saucepan; heat over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until hot. Remove saucepan from heat as soon as first bubble appears; pour over chocolate. Let stand 1 minute to soften; stir until mixture is smooth and chocolate is melted. Stir in 1/2 t almond extract. Cool to room temperature. Pour glaze over cooled cheesecake in pan, spreading evenly over top. Refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving.