White Chocolate Cheesecake with Hazelnut Crust

Categories: March 1992
Yield: 1 servings

-----------------------------------CRUST-----------------------------------
3/4 c Hazelnuts; (about 3 1/4
-ounces)
12 Whole graham crackers;
-broken
1/4 c Sugar
6 tb Butter; melted (3/4 stick)

----------------------------------FILLING----------------------------------
4 pk Cream cheese; room
-temperature
; (8-ounce)
1 1/4 c Sugar
4 Eggs
3 oz Imported white chocolate;
-(such as Lindt),
; finely chopped
3 tb Hazelnut liqueur; (such as
-Frangelico)

For crust:

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325F. Grease 9-inch-diameter
springform pan. Wrap aluminum foil around outside of pan. Place hazelnuts
in pie pan and roast until brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to kitchen
towel, cover and let stand 5 minutes. Rub hazelnuts with towel to remove
husks. Chop coarsely in food processor. Add graham crackers and sugar and
process until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter and process until crumbs
begin to stick together. Press crumbs into bottom and 1 inch up sides of
prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool crust on rack.

For filling:

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until light and
fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after
each addition. Mix in white chocolate and hazelnut liqueur. Pour filling
into crust, covering completely.

Bake cake until edges are set and center moves only slightly when pan is
shaken, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Cover and
refrigerate at least 24 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead.) Run small
sharp knife around pan sides to loosen. Release pan sides. Transfer
cheesecake to platter. Cut into wedges and serve.

Serves 10.

Bon Appetit March 1992

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