Almond Macaroon Cheesecake Recipes

GIADA DE LAURENTIIS' MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE WITH ALMOND CRUST

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Tightly wrap the outside of a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil.
• Finely grind the almonds, cracker crumbs, and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter and process until moist crumbs form.
• Press the almond mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan (not on the sides of the pan).
• Bake the crust until it is set and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Cool. Decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• For the filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and sugar in a large bowl until smooth, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
• Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan.
• Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan.
• Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
• Bake until the center of the cheesecake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 5 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold).
• Transfer the cake to a rack; cool for 1 hour.
• Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• For the topping: Combine the chocolate-hazelnut spread and cream in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave until warm, stirring every 20 seconds to blend, about 1 minute.
• Cut the cake into wedges. Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the wedges and serve.

SIMPLEST ALMOND MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Place almond paste and sugar in food processor or mixing bowl. Mix or process until thoroughly combined. Add egg whites and mix until smooth dough forms.
• Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets, about 1 inch apart and bake 18-20 minutes, or until golden. Cool completely on baking sheets.
• Peel macaroons from paper when completely cool and store in an airtight container.

COCONUT MACAROON CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine 1 cup toasted coconut, ground pecans and butter.
• Press onto bottom of 9" spring-form pan.
• Set aside. In a l arge bowl beat cream cheese with electric mixer on low speed; gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and almond extract. Beat until fluffy.
• Add 3 whole eggs; beat on low speed just until combined.
• Pour into crust-lined pan.
• Bake 350 degrees for 35 min.
• (won't be done). Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl beat egg white and remaining vanilla with an electric mixer until soft peaks form (tips curl); gradually beat in the 1/3 cup sugar until stiff peaks form.
• Fold in 2/3 cup toasted coconut. Carefully spread atop partially baked cheesecake. Return to oven and bake 20 min.
• more. Cool on wire rack for 15 min.
• Loosen side of cheesecake from pan.
• Cool 30 min.
• more; remove side of pan.
• Cool completely.
• Cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving.
• To serve, garnish with strawberries and/or additional toasted coconut. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

LUSCIOUS ALMOND CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the wafer crumbs, almonds and sugar; stir in the butter and mix well. Press into the bottom of a greased 10-in. springform pan; set aside. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in extracts. Pour into crust. Place on a baking sheet., Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from the oven; let stand for 5 minutes (leave oven on). Combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Spoon around edge of cheesecake; carefully spread over filling. Bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight., Just before serving, sprinkle with almonds and remove sides of pan. Refrigerate leftovers.

AMARETTO CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For the crust: Combine all the ingredients into a paste. Press the paste onto the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan and refrigerate.
• For the cheesecake filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the almond paste, sugar, and flour in a food processor; beat until smooth. Place this into a mixing bowl and beat in one-third of the cream cheese at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes.
• For the topping: Combine the sour cream, amaretto, and sugar; mix well. Spread it evenly on the cheesecake and return the cake to the oven for an additional 20 minutes, or until set.
• Refrigerate 6 hours or over night; serve chilled.

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE WITH ALMOND MACAROON CRUST

Steps:

• 1. Beat cream cheese and sugar until cream cheese is light and fluffy. Beat in melted white chocolate. Put bowl in larger bowl with warm water to keep chocolate from firming up too rapidly while you whip the cream. Beat cream with vanilla and rum until stiff. Remove bowl from water bath and beat in whipped cream until blended. Pour mixture into prepared crust and refrigerate until firm. Top can be decorated with grated semi sweet chocolate and chocolate leaves. Or you may prefer to spoon a little raspberries in syrup on the top at serving time. Either are delicious accompaniments. This dessert can be made a day ahead and stored in refrigerator. While chocolate can be melted in top of a double oiler over hot, not boiling water. When you make this glorious dessert, you will wonder how anything so extravagantly delicious could be so easy. A further bonus, this mousselike cheesecake does not have to be baked and can be assembled in very little time. Source: Renny Darling

GIADA DE LAURENTIIS MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE WITH ALMOND CRUST

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Tightly wrap the outside of a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind the almonds, cracker crumbs, and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter and process until moist crumbs form. Press the almond mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan (not on the sides of the pan). Bake the crust until it is set and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Cool. Decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• For the filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and sugar in a large bowl until smooth, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
• Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the center of the cheesecake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 5 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold). Transfer the cake to a rack; cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• For the topping: Combine the chocolate-hazelnut spread and cream in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave until warm, stirring every 20 seconds to blend, about 1 minute.
• Cut the cake into wedges. Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the wedges and serve.