Chocolate Memories: Chocolate Amaretto Cheesecake
September 18, 2009 Posted by The Painted Hen
Easy admission: I LOVE CHOCOLATE! I had a friend in grad school who shared my love of chocolate. A bowl of mini chocolate bars didn’t stand a chance with us around, all we left behind was a trail of torn and crumpled candy wrappers. In those years, we couldn’t make it back home for every holiday, so the two of us (and our Roosters, who happen to be awesome cooks) would take turns hosting the special meal for our friends still on campus. When she started experimenting with chocolate cheesecakes, we were all in heaven. Whenever I make this cheesecake, I always smile as I remember those times together.
This easy cheesecake recipe comes out creamy smooth with just the right touch of chocolate and almond.
Chocolate Amaretto Cheesecake
Crust
1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
3/4 cup ground blanched almonds
4 Tbsp sugar
4 Tbsp melted butter
Filling
3 pkg 8 oz. cream cheese – softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp flour
3 eggs
4 tsp amaretto (or 2 tsp almond extract)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate block for shavings (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Mix wafers through butter and pack in bottom of springform pan, going 1/2” up sides.
2. Bake crust 8-10 minutes. Let cool while preparing filling.
3. Heat oven to 425°. In large bowl, mix cream cheese through flour, blend with electric mixer until smooth.
4. Add eggs, amaretto and vanilla. Beat well and pour into baked crust.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 250° and bake for 55 minutes. Center should be firm when pan is shaken (don’t touch filling or it will crack). Allow to cool completely. Garnish with chocolate shavings if desired.
Can you remember a time when chocolate made you smile? Share it with us!
Jenna Wilson Pierce says:
September 18th, 2009
This looks divine. I’ll have to try this one this weekend. I’m having guests over and one of my girlfriends is a chocolate fiend.
Arlene says:
September 18th, 2009
Thanks again Hens! I tried your quesadilla recipe last week and it was great. Yum…now a dessert. Keep it up. Since we’re on the topic of cheesecakes with alcohol in it, here’s my favorite recipe for White Chocolate Cheesecake with White Chocolate Brandy Sauce. It’s out of this world.
White Chocolate Cheesecake with White Chocolate Brandy Sauce
INGREDIENTS
4 (1 ounce) squares white chocolate
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups finely chopped white chocolate
2 fluid ounces brandy
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Wrap the outside of a 10 inch springform pan with foil. Grease the inside of the pan.
2. Place the cream cheese, sugar, and flour in a mixing bowl and cream until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape bowl.
3. Melt 4 ounces of the white chocolate. With an electric mixer on low speed, mix melted white chocolate into cream cheese mixture. Keeping electric mixer on low, slowly beat in the vanilla and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Blend well. Pour mixture into the prepared springform pan.
4. Place cheesecake pan in a water bath filled with warm water. Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 50 to 60 minutes, or until center of the cheesecake is just firm. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Refrigerate until set before removing from pan.
5. To make White Chocolate Brandy Sauce: Place 1 cup heavy cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Watch carefully so it doesn’t boil over. Pour hot cream over 2 cups of finely chopped white chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon until melted. Add brandy and continue stirring until incorporated. Pour over chilled cheesecake and serve.
Painted Hen says:
September 18th, 2009
Oh my, does your cheesecake recipe look good Arlene! I can’t wait to try it, I’ve never made one with a white chocolate sauce. Jenna is going to have a tough choice this weekend!
Painted Hen's Rooster says:
September 18th, 2009
Speaking from experience I’d say you have to try this one. Painted Hen has made it for me quite a few times and it is AWESOME!
Painted Hen says:
September 19th, 2009
I just found out that the original recipe came from “Hershey’s Chocolate Lover’s Cookbook”, copyright 1993, Joshua Morris Publishing, Inc. Gotta love the title!
Little Red Hen says:
September 21st, 2009
Over the weekend, my mother in law made this Mandarin Chocolate Cake from Food and Wine Magazine. http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/mandarin-chocolate-cake
It is almost, ALMOST too chocolaty. Dense chocolate cake, whipped ganache filling and chocolate glaze on top- Wow, it is intense! Painted Hen and her Rooster would love it!
Robin says:
September 22nd, 2009
Here’s a recipe I made for double-chocolate cheesecake that I got from Epicurious.com. Now I have to try yours, it looks so good. Here’s the website for the double-chocolate recipe http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Double-Chocolate-Cheesecake-4484.
The Painted Hen says:
September 22nd, 2009
Thanks for the recipe Robin! The chocolate wafers and coffee look like a nice touch in this cheesecake.