Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Amaretto Cheesecake with Almond Crust and Amaretto-Caramel Sauce
Makes 1 23-cm (9-inch) cheesecake
**Special Equipment – 23-cm X 7-cm (9-inch X 2¾-inch) springform pan with removable bottom.
Almond Crust
Amaretto Cheesecake Filling
Amaretto-Caramel Sauce
Almond Crust {Crosta di Mandorle e Biscotti}
1 cup) finely ground almonds
1 cup) finely ground graham wafers
2 tablespoons) caster (superfine granules) sugar
¼ cup) unsalted butter, melted
Amaretto Cheesecake Filling {Ripieno di Formaggio con Crema di Amaretto}
12 ounces or 1¼ cups + 2 2/3 tablespoons) Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature
16 ounces or 2¼ cups + 1/3 tablespoon) mascarpone cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
1 1/3 cup) caster (superfine granules) sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons or 1½ ounces) Talea Italian Amaretto Cream liqueur (preferred) or Disaronno Amaretto liqueur
Unsalted butter, for greasing
Amaretto Carmel Sauce
1½ cups) caster (superfine granules) sugar
1 to 3 tablespoons or ½ to 1½ ounces) Talea Italian Amaretto Cream liqueur or Disarrono Amaretto liqueur
4 tablespoons or ¼ cup) unsalted butter, cut into 4 equal pieces, room temperature
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Directions: |
Directions:Almond crust directions
Place oven rack in centre position. Preheat oven to 180° C (350° F). Unlatch springform pan, flip base over, line base (lip should be on the underside) with a sheet of non-stick baking paper leaving a 4-cm (1½-inch) overhang. Reassemble springform pan.
In a small-sized bowl, mix together ground almonds, ground graham wafers and sugar.
Add melted butter; stir until mixture is evenly moistened.
Press crumb mixture evenly over base (not sides) of springform pan.
Bake until almonds are toasted and crust is golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
Transfer crust to wire rack to cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 160° C (325° F).
Bring a teakettle of water almost to a boil.
Prepare springform pan for water bath (bain marie), cut heavy-duty aluminum foil into three 40-cm (16-inch) squares. Layer aluminum squares on a flat work surface, place cooled springform pan in centre of square; wrap foil tightly around and up the sides of the pan. Place wrapped springform pan into a deep roasting pan large enough to comfortably fit the size of the springform pan.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
Add the mascarpone and flour; beat on medium speed until smooth, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl (and paddle attachment) as needed, about 1 minute.
Gradually add sugar and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
Add eggs, one-at-a-time, beating just to combine after each addition (about 30 seconds). Scrape sides and bottom of bowl after each egg addition.
Add the vanilla and liqueur; beat to just combine.
Pour cheesecake filling through a fine mesh sieve (to catch any lumps that were missed) over almond crust.
Pull out the middle oven rack slightly (just enough to comfortably fill the roasting pan with water); place roasting pan on rack. Carefully pour hot water from teakettle into roasting pan (making sure not to let any water get into the cheesecake filling) filling about half way up the side of the springform pan.
Carefully push the roasting pan into the centre of the oven rack and then ever so carefully push the oven rack back into the oven.
Bake cheesecake in preheated 160° C (325° F) oven until set around the edges and the centre of the cheesecake slightly jiggles (cheesecake will continue to set when cooling) when springform pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Carefully pull out oven rack (enough to comfortably remove springform pan). Carefully remove springform pan, transfer pan to wire rack and allow cheesecake to cool completely (remove aluminum foil when temperature of pan is comfortable to the touch). Transfer cheesecake in springform pan uncovered or loosely covered to refrigerator to chill for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight or up to 2 days.
Amaretto-Caramel Sauce {Salsa di Caramello e Crema di Amaretto}
As a precautionary measure when preparing the caramel I prefer to use a 6-litre (6.3-quart) heavy-bottomed stockpot. And I always wear a long sleeved shirt and I slip on oven mitts (to protect myself from splattering
caramel). When cream is added the sugar syrup splatters and boils ferociously coming up the sides of the pan. Bringing the heavy cream to room temperature helps to minimize the splatter. It is best to prepare and measure all of your ingredients before beginning the caramel making process.
In a heavy-bottomed, 6-litre (6.3-quart) stockpot over medium heat,
combine the sugar and lemon juice. Stir with a large, flexible rubber spatula until most of the sugar has dissolved. At this point set aside the spatula and swirl the pan over the heat to keep the colour of the caramel even throughout.
Cook until the sugar syrup turns a medium amber colour. (Don’t walk away or turn your head, not even for a second, because the sugar can quickly darken and you also run the risk of burning the sugar. Burnt sugar causes the caramel to taste quite bitter (and you’ll have to start the process again) – not at all what you want in a caramel sauce.)
Gradually add the cream, whisking constantly (don’t be concerned if the caramel hardens at this stage just continue to add the cream while whisking).
Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium heat; boil for 5 minutes, whisking constantly (any hardened caramel should have melted by this point).
Remove from heat; strain (to remove any bits of hardened caramel) caramel through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl.
Add liqueur 1-tablespoon at-a-time, tasting after each addition (be cautious when tasting the caramel is extremely hot).
Whisk in the butter, set-aside to cool completely.
Cover and transfer to refrigerator to chill until thickened.
Assembling Amaretto Cheesecake with Almond Crust and Amaretto-Caramel Sauce
Remove cheesecake from refrigerator. Hold the springform pan tightly and pull back the latch all the way to release the sides. Carefully pull the sides of the pan straight up off the cheesecake. Position the cheesecake so that the base is flush with the cake plate (or cake stand) position the baking paper (the overhang) onto the edge of the cake plate and with the help of a large offset spatula slide cheesecake onto cake plate (or cake stand).
Pour caramel sauce onto centre of cheesecake working your way to the edges leaving a 6 mm (¼-inch) border. If necessary use an offset spatula to spread caramel evenly.
To serve, pour caramel sauce onto a dessert dish, using both hands push the dish forwards and backwards to spread out the caramel. Cut cheesecake with a knife (thin knife) dipped in hot water and wiped clean with a kitchen tea towel, making sure you dip knife and wipe dry after each cut. Place cheesecake slice in centre of caramel pool. Or if you prefer place cheesecake slice on dessert dish and serve extra caramel on the side. It is best to serve cheesecake once it comes to room temperature but it is best to cut the slices when the cheesecake is cold.
Buon Appetito!
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