Pam

Amaretto Cheesecake

When I was a child, before my mom officially started her catering company, she baked for a local restaurant. One of the things she baked was an Amaretto Cheesecake – to this day, it’s one of my favorite desserts. The smell of it baking brings bag such delicious memories, it’s hard to let the cheesecake cool before diving in!

Amaretto is an almond-flavoured liqueur, though the flavour may come from apricot kernels or peach pits as well as almonds, depending on the brand. The flavour is bumped up with almond extract, to up the flavour without adding too much liquid. And I can’t tell you why, but this cheesecake has always been tinted pink by a little red food dye. You COULD leave this out, but it just wouldn’t be the same to me.

You can bake the cheesecake and once cooled, wrap well and freeze. Before serving, let the cheesecake thaw in the fridge, then top with whipped cream and toasted almonds.

Amaretto Cheesecake

A smooth, blush coloured cheesecake with a delicious Amaretto/almond flavour.


Ingredients

    Crust Ingredients:

  • 9 oz / 256 grams graham wafer crumbs (1 1/2 cups)
  • 2 1/2 oz / 70 grams butter, melted (5 Tbsp.)
  • 1 oz / 28 grams granulated sugar (2 Tbsp.)

    • Cheesecake Filling Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs + 3 oz. / 1 kg cream cheese, softened
  • 10 oz / 280 grams granulated sugar (1 1/4 cup)
  • 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp. almond extract
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup Amaretto Liqueur
  • a few drops of liquid red food dye or dip the tip of a knife into red gel food dye
  • 4 large eggs

    • Whipped Cream Topping:

  • 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
  • 3 Tbsp. icing sugar
  • 1/2 ounce/14 grams toasted slices almonds (2 Tbsp.)

Directions

  1. Heat your oven to 325ºF / 165°C.
  2. Prepare a 23-cm / 9″ springform pan by wrapping a piece of aluminum foil over the base before placing it in the pan and snapping it shut.
  3. Prepare the crust. Combine the graham wafer crumbs, butter and sugar in a bowl and stir until well-combined. Pour the mixture into the spring-form pan and press it down in an even layer on the bottom and about 1″ up the sides. Set aside.
  4. Use the paddle attachment in a stand mixer to mix the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and salt on medium until smooth. Scrape the sides down a couple of times to make sure all of the cheese is mixed in. Add the vanilla, almond extract, whipping cream, sour cream, Amaretto, and red food dye and mix well. Add the eggs and mix on medium until just incorporated.
  5. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a kettle. Take two sheets of aluminum foil and place the cheesecake pan on top of the sheets. Bring the aluminum up the sides of the pan, then place the springform pan in a roasting or baking dish and place on the middle rack of your oven. Carefully pour the boiling water into the roasting/baking dish so that it comes half-way up the sides of the springform.
  6. Bake the cheesecake for 1 1/2 hours, then turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Let the cheesecake cool to room remperature. Refrigerate the cake until completely chilled.
  7. Once chilled, run a thin-bladed knife around the outter edge of the cheesecake then carefully release the spring on the pan. Remove the outer ring. Transfer the cake from the pan base to a serving plate.
  8. Whip the whipping cream and icing sugar on medium, until stiff peaks form, being careful not to over-whip it (if you go beyond stiff peaks it will separate and turn into butter). Use an offset spatula to transfer half of the the whipped cream to the cheesecake and spread an even layer over the top of the cheesecake. Transfer the remaining whipped cream to a pastry bag with a decorative tip in it and pipe around the top edge of the cake. Sprinkle the edges with toasted, slivered almonds.
  9. Enjoy!


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