AMARETTO FUDGE CHEESECAKE

AMARETTO FUDGE CHEESECAKE image

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 12

For Crust:
One 11-ounce box chocolate wafer cookies
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For Filling:
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
20 ounces cream cheese
2/3 cup sugar
1 pint sour cream
1/4 cup amaretto
2 drops almond extract
5 large eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Steps:

FOR THE CRUST: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Finely grind cookies in food processor. Mix in butter. Press mixture over bottom and 3/4 of the way up sides of prepared pan. FOR THE FILLING: Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Cool 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using electric stand mixer and paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl on medium speed until fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Add next 3 ingredients, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in melted chocolate. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in flour just until blended. Transfer filling to prepared crust. Bake cheesecake until edges are firm and center is softly set, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Transfer pan to rack and cool. Cover and refrigerate until cheesecake is cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. Using knife, cut around sides of pan to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Cut cheesecake into wedges and serve.