Marbled Almond Chocolate Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups crushed vanilla wafers (about 45 cookies)
- 2/3 cup finely chopped almonds
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 6 oz semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 3-8 oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1-7 oz box Odense Almond Paste (grated using large hole side of a box grater)
This sinful chocolate cheesecake gets a little help from Odense Almond Paste.
Time
45 minutes to assemble
45 minutes to bake
60 minutes to rest in oven with heat off
Refrigerate overnight
45 minutes to bake
60 minutes to rest in oven with heat off
Refrigerate overnight
Yield
12-16 servings
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously grease or spray a 9 1/2 inch springform pan.
- For Crust: Mix together crushed wafers, almonds and butter. Using bottom of measuring cup, press crumb mixture into bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of springform pan. Bake for 8 minutes and cool on wire rack. When cool, wrap bottom and sides of pan with aluminum foil.
- For Filling: Melt chocolate in double boiler or microwave on low power. Set aside.
- Place cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer on medium-high speed until just smooth. Do not over-beat or cake will fall.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined, scraping down sides of bowl between each egg. Set aside one cup of batter in medium bowl.
- Add melted chocolate to large mixing bowl and beat until just incorporated. Pour into cooled crust and smooth top. Add Almond Paste (grated using large hole side of a box grater) to reserved cup of batter and beat on high speed until smooth (batter will be slightly granular).
- Drop almond batter by large spoonfuls on top of chocolate batter. Swirl batters together using a knife to create marbled effect. Place cheesecake into larger pan. Make a water bath by pouring hot water into larger pan until water is half way up outside of springform pan.
- Carefully place in oven and bake 45 minutes. Turn off heat and leave in oven one hour. Remove cheesecake from water bath and place on wire rack (away from drafts). Using a thin knife, gently loosen top cake edge from inside of pan. This will prevent top from cracking.
- Cool completely to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight before unmolding.