SC -Don't Like Chocolate?!?

[Joan Nicholson]

Here's a recipe for Chocolate-Almond Layered Cheesecake from the
Ghirardelli website:
http://www.ghirardelli.com

Prydwen


>Yield: 16 Servings
>    CRUST
>    2/3 cup almonds, finely chopped
>    1¼ cups finely crushed vanilla wafers
>    1/3 cup butter, melted
>
>    FILLING
>    8 ounces (2 baking bars) Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate,
>    broken into 1-inch pieces
>    8 ounces cream cheese, softened
>    1 cup sugar
>    3 eggs
>    1 cup sour cream
>    ¼ cup almond-flavored liqueur
>    ¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
>
>    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
>
>    Place the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the
>    preheated oven for 3 to 4 minutes. Allow almonds to cool.
>    Place the toasted almonds in a food processor, and process
>    until finely ground. Combine the wafer crumbs, ground
>    almonds, and butter; mix well. Press the mixture onto the
>    bottom of the springform pan and 1½ inches up the sides.
>    Bake 8 minutes. Place on a wire rack and let cool
>    completely.
>
>    To prepare the filling, melt the chocolate in a double boiler
>    over hot, but not boiling, water. Sir occasionally until the
>    chocolate is smooth. Set aside.
>
>    In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese on
>    low just until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue
>    beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and
>    beaters with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time,
>    beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl
>    as needed. With the mixer on low, gradually add the sour
>    cream, almond liqueur, and salt, beating just until smooth.
>
>    Divide the batter in half. Add the melted chocolate to one half
>    of the batter, stirring until smooth. Pour the chocolate batter
>    into the crust; spread to create one even layer. Carefully
>    spoon the plain batter on top of the chocolate batter. Place
>    the pan in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature
>    to 325°F. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until the center is just
>    set. Turn off the oven, and leave the cake inside for 30
>    minutes with the oven door closed. Transfer the cheesecake
>    to a wire rack. Loosen it from the sides of the pan with a
>    metal spatula. Let the cheesecake cool completely, then
>    chill it at least 8 hours or overnight. Store covered in the
>    refrigerator.
gryphon at carlsbadnm.com