Daniel's Pizza Pasta Cafe White
Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

Crust

• Butter or nonstick cooking spray for greasing pan
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup Graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Filling

• 32 ounces Philadelphia brand cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups high-quality sour cream
• 1/2 cup chopped white chocolate
• 1/2 cup quality raspberry jam, thinned with 3 tablespoons water

Topping

• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup raspberry jam
• 1 tablespoon water
• Block of white chocolate, at room temperature (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the inside of a (10 inch) springform pan, or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Wrap the outside bottom and sides of the pan in two layers of aluminum foil. Set aside. Also have ready a baking dish large enough to hold the springform pan in a bain marie, or water bath.

Crust

1. Spread slivered almonds in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake 5 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan gently every 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned.
2. In the bottom of the springform pan, combine almonds, Graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add melted butter and almond extract, and mix until well-combined. Lightly pat crumb mixture onto bottom only of pan, spreading evenly across the surface.

Filling

1. With a mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Mix in eggs one at a time; do not over-mix. Add vanilla and sour cream, and mix just until well-blended. Fold in white chocolate. Pour mixture into prepared springform pan.
2. Pour jam on top in a spiral pattern, then gently stir in jam, leaving swirls visible.
3. Place springform pan in baking pan, and fill baking pan with water to a depth of 1 inch. Bake about 1 hour and 15 minutes until set and lightly browned. Turn off oven and leave cheesecake in oven for 1 hour.
4. Remove from oven and let cool, overnight if possible. Run knife along sides, and loosen sides of springform pan.

Topping

1. In a bowl, combine sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract, raspberry jam and water until smooth. Spread on top of cheesecake. If garnishing with white chocolate, carefully shave off curls with a cheese plane or vegetable peeler, and scatter curls over top of cheesecake.

Nutrition

Per serving: fats, 49 grams (58% of calories); calories, 752; cholesterol, 221 milligrams; carbohydrate, 68 grams; fiber, 1 gram; protein, 13 grams; sodium, 373 milligrams

Attribution

Daniel's Pizza Pasta Cafe, Apex, North Carolina