Butterscotch Almond Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup toasted almonds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 7 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Filling

• 32 ounces cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup Scotch whiskey
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups sour cream

Butterscotch Topping

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon Scotch whiskey
• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
• Sweetened whipped cream

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with aluminum foil. Butter and flour foil.
2. Blend first 4 ingredients in food processor until nuts are finely chopped.
3. Add butter, yolk and almond extract; blend until mixture begins to gather together. Press onto bottom only of prepared pan. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.
4. Transfer to rack. Cool for 10 minutes.
5. Release cake pan sides from from crust. Gently turn out crust onto rack; peel off foil and cool. Place crust back into pan and re-attach pan sides. Maintain oven temperature.
6. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, 1 1/4 cups of the sugar, Scotch and vanilla extract in large bowl until well blended.
7. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined. Pour into crust-lined pan.
8. Bake cheesecake until set at edges but center 3 inch area still moves slightly when pan is shaken, about 50 minutes.
9. Place on rack; cool for 10 minutes.
10. Mix sour cream with remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Spoon sour cream mixture over cheesecake.
11. Bake for 10 minutes.
12. Transfer cheesecake to rack and cool for 10 minutes.
13. Run small sharp knife around top edge of pan to loosen cake. Chill overnight (can be made 2 days ahead).
14. Stir sugar and 2/3 cup of the Scotch whiskey in large heavy saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
15. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup turns golden, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with pastry brush dipped in water and also swirling pan.
16. Add 2/3 cup cream and butter (mixture will bubble) and stir until smooth.
17. Cool for 10 minutes.
18. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon Scotch. Let stand until cool but still pourable, about 2 hours.
19. Mix in 1/2 cup almonds.
20. Spoon all but 1/2 cup butterscotch topping over cheesecake (reserve remaining mixture for another use).
21. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped almonds. Refrigerate up to 1 hour.
22. Run sharp knife around sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides.
23. Spoon cream into pastry bag fitted with star tip. Pipe cream over top edge of cake.