Crust:
1/4 c Sugar
1/4 c Almonds, toasted
1 c Unsifted all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
1/2 c Unsalt butter
1 lg Egg yolk
1/4 ts Almond extract
Filling:
5 pk Cream cheese, softened 8-oz each
1 2/3 c Sugar
2 ts Grated lemon zest
5 lg Eggs plus 2 yolks
1/4 c Heavy cream
3 tb Amaretto liqueur
1 tb All-purpose flour
Strawberries for garnish
Make Crust: Lightly greased 9-inch springform pan. In food processor, process sugar and almonds until nuts are finely ground. Add flour and salt; pulse to blend. Cut up butter into bits; add to flour mixture. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and almond extract; pulse just until dough holds together. Press dough into prepare pan to line bottom and 2 inch up sides. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400. Bake crust 8 minutes or just until golden. Place on wire rack; let stand stand until cool. Make filling: In large bowl, with electric mixer at medium-high speed, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar; beat 3 minutes or until mixture is blended and smooth. Beat in lemon zest. At medium speed, beat in eggs and yolks, on at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
At low speed, beat in heavy cream and liqueur. Beat in flour just until blended. Increase oven temperature to 500. Pour filling into cooled crust in pan. Bake 12 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 200.
Bake cheesecake 1 hour longer, cover loosely with foil if top browns too quickly. Turn off oven; let cheesecake remain on rack for 30 minutes with oven door propped ajar with wooden spoon.
Place cake on cooling rack. Let stand until room temperature. Cover; chill 6 hours or overnight. To serve, run knife around edges of pan to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Place cake on serving dish. Garnish with strawberries. Before cutting each slice, dip knife in cold water.
Fred Ball
