Chefs Karen Penner and Melissa Pearn,
Cafe au Livre
Ingredients
Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup ground toasted almonds
Filling
35 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
7 large eggs
3 Tbsp amaretto liqueur
2 tsp vanilla
Topping
1/2 cup apricot jam, melted
3 Tbsp sliced almonds, toasted
Fresh seasonal fruit (strawberries, oranges, blueberries, kiwi, etc)
Method
Crust
1. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix with a spoon until crumbly.
2. Grease a 10-inch springform pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Pack the crumb mix to the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
Filling
1. Preheat oven to 250˚F.
2. In a bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, blend the cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the sugar and flour, and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. With the mixer running, slowly add 4 of the eggs. Scrape down bowl. Blend in remaining eggs. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Add amaretto and vanilla, and mix until combined.
6. Pour the batter into the crust-lined pan.
7. Wrap the bottom and the sides of the pan with a single sheet of aluminum foil.
8. Place the cheesecake into a roasting pan and set inside the preheated oven. Pour hot water into the roasting pan, about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.
9. Bake at 250˚F for 1 1/2 hours. Turn oven off and leave in for another half hour.
10. Remove cheesecake from oven, and remove aluminum foil from the pan. Cool at room temperature and refrigerate over night.
11. Decorate with fruit and almonds, and pour melted jam overtop.
Yield 12 servings