Ribbon Of Cherry Cheesecake

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup butter or 1/3 cup margarine, melted
• 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten

Recipe

• 1 in a skillet over medium heat, toast almonds.
• 2 remove from heat; finely chop almonds.
• 3 in a medium bowl, combine almonds, graham cracker crumbs and butter; mix well.
• 4 press crumb mixture evenly 2 inches up the sides and over the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan.
• 5 set aside.
• 6 in an electric blender or food processor container, purée cherry filling until smooth.
• 7 pour puréed cherry filling into a medium saucepan.
• 8 combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and cornstarch; stir into cherry filling.
• 9 cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until mixture is thick and bubbly.
• 10 remove from heat.
• 11 stir in almond extract.
• 12 set aside to cool.
• 13 in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, amaretto, lemon juice and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy.
• 14 add eggs all at once, beating on low speed just until mixed.
• 15 do not overbeat.
• 16 to assemble the cheesecake, pour one-third of the cream cheese mixture into prepared crust.
• 17 top with about 1/3 cup of the cherry purée.
• 18 swirl.
• 19 cherry mixture into cream cheese mixture using a knife or spatula.
• 20 repeat layers twice, ending with cherry purée.
• 21 reserve remaining purée.
• 22 bake in a preheated 350 f oven 60 to 65 minutes or until the center appears nearly set when gently shaken.
• 23 do not let the top crack.
• 24 cool on a wire rack.
• 25 let chill.
• 26 to serve, spoon a generous tablespoon of purée on serving plate.
• 27 place cheesecake wedge on top of purée.