Farmer Boy Recipe - Cherry Almond Cheesecake

To celebrate "National Cheesecake Day" (Mondy 7-30-12), I'm posting here, my recipe for a cheesecake made in an 8 inch springform pan.  You can also make it in a deep dish pie tin, if you don't have the springform pan. *Note: If you use a pie tin, you'll need to press the crust up the sides a bit.

Crust Ingredients:

• 2/3 Cup of graham cracker crumbs (about 14 squares)
• 1/4 Cup of butter, melted
• 1/2 Cup of slivered almonds, broken or ground in a food processor
• 1/4 Cup of sugar

Directions for crust: Mix the crumbs with the butter, sugar and almonds.  Press into the bottom of the springform pan, while it is closed.  Bake in oven at 325 degrees F. for about 10 minutes, to firm up the crust.  Move on to the filling.

Filling Ingredients:

• 2 - 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 Cup of sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 Cup of cherries, (I prefer canned, Dark Cherries, drained - reserve the juice to use on topping)  (you can also use regular pie cherries)

Directions for filling: Whip the cream cheese with an electric mixer, adding in the sugar, till fluffy. Mix in the eggs, till creamy and smooth.  Cut the cherries in half or quarters and stir them into the mixture.
Pour mixture into the pan, on top of the crust.  Increase the heat and bake at 375 degrees F. for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven, but not the pan, to cool for about 10 minutes. Prepare the topping.

Topping Ingredients:

• 1 pint of sour cream
• 5 Tablespoons of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract
• 1/3 Cup of Cherries, mixed with 1 Tablespoon of sugar & 1 Tablespoon of reserved, drained cherry juice
• Slivered almonds, for garnish

Directions: Mix thoroughly: the sour cream, sugar and extract in a small bowl.  Pour this over the cheesecake and spread evenly.  Return it to the oven and bake for 5 minutes at 375 degrees F.  While this is baking, mix the cherries, sugar and juice in a small pan and heat over low heat, stirring, to dissolve the sugar.  Remove the pan from the oven and immediately pour the cherries with juice over the top.  Add the garnish of slivered almonds.
Cool the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.  When ready to serve, remove the springform ring.  Cut into wedges & enjoy!

Of course you could make this anytime the urge strikes!  And it could remain frozen in your freezer (if you could resist not eating it all in one sitting!).  But what a great way to celebrate "National Cheesecake Day"!

If you make this recipe, please let us all know, by leaving a comment here.  Thanks.  The Old Man in the Bib Overalls