Chocolate Praline Cheesecake           August, 2006           Print

          Courtesy of American Almond Products Co.

This is the best cheesecake we've ever tasted, although we prefer it without the chocolate chips. If you do use them, make sure the chocolate is of top quality. We recommend Scharffen Berger bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chip-size pieces.

Ingredient Amount Chocolate Cookie Crumbs 1 1/2 Cups Chopped Hazlenuts 1/4 Cup Sugar 1 3/4 Cups Butter, Melted 1/2 Stick Chocolate Chips 1/2 Cup Cream Cheese Six 8-Ounce Packages American Almond Roasted Hazlenut Praline 1 Cup Salt 1/2 Tsp. Eggs, Large 5 ea. Sour Cream 1 Cup Vanilla Extract 1 Tsp. Topping, Mixed Well: American Almond Roasted Hazlenut Praline 1 Cup Sour Cream 1 Cup

Method. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Combine cookie crumbs, hazlenuts, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and melted butter Press into bottom of a 10-Inch spring-form pan Bake for 10 minutes Sprinkle with chocolate chips Blend cream cheese, roasted almond praline, 1 1/2 cups of the sugar and salt in mixer on medium speed, about 3 minutes. Scrape bowl Beat in eggs, one at a time, then sour cream and vanilla. Pour into prepared crust Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes until set and slightly puffed around edges Spread topping on cheesecake. Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes Cool completely on a wire rack Refrigerate overnight before serving.