Amaretto Cheesecake

Ingredients

• ½ cup whole almonds
• 1 pound cream cheese
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons amaretto
• ¾ cup sour cream

Method

Spread nuts in a baking pan and bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 8 minutes or until lightly toasted. Let cool and finely chop. With an electric mixer, beat cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in eggs, vanilla, Amaretto and sour cream. Reserve 2 tablespoons of nuts, and stir in remaining nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9 inch spring form pan. Sprinkle reserved nuts over the top. Bake in the middle of a preheated 325°F oven for 25 minutes or until just barely set. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar, and let cool in the oven for 1 hour longer. Chill. To serve, remove pan from sides and cut into wedges.