Chocolate Amaretto Cheesecake

This recipe is from a Philadelphia Cream Cheese box. I think it must be a Kraft idea, because it is actually one of those kind of recipes that is basic with different sets of ingredients for you to make your favourite kind of cheesecake. They call this one Chocolate Lover’s Cheesecake, but I always think of it as Chocolate Amaretto or Chocolate Almond.

Base
1¼ cups chocolate crumbs
¼ cup melted butter

Filling
3 pkgs (250 g each) softened cream cheese
¾ cup sugar until smooth
3 eggs
6 squares semi-sweet chocolate (melted and cooled)*
¼ cup Amaretto liqueur

Topping
Enough melted chocolate to drizzle over top
Toasted almonds

Combine chocolate crumbs with melted butter. Press on bottom of 9 in. springform pan.

Beat softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until just blended. Stir in semi-sweet chocolate (melted and cooled) and Amaretto liqueur.

Bake at 350°F for 45-50 min. or until centre is almost set. Cool completely, then refrigerate 3 hr or overnight.

Add the finishing touch – drizzle melted chocolate and top with toasted almonds.

*Note: I usually use about 6 oz melted semisweet chocolate chips because that is what we usually have in the house at all times rather than buying the squares of chocolate. It still turns out nice.

My cake always cracks, but after I drizzle chocolate and add the almonds (and sometimes I drizzle more chocolate on top of the almonds) you can’t really tell until you are cutting into it.