Recipe for Chocolate Macadamia Cheesecake

Chocolate Macadamia Cheesecake

Ingredients

.....1 1/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (about 25 wafers)
.....1/4 cup ground macadamia nuts
.....2 tablespoons sugar
.....3 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling
.....8 squares (1 ounce each) white baking chocolate
.....4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
.....3/4 cup sugar
.....3 tablespoons all purpose flour
.....5 eggs
.....1 teaspoon vanilla extract
.....1/3 cup milk chocolate chips

Topping
.....8 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet chocolate
.....7 tablespoons whipping cream

White chocolate shavings
Chopped macadamia nuts

Preparation

In a bowl, combine wafer crumbs, nuts and sugar; stir in butter and almond extract. Press onto the bottom of a greased 10 inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325 degrees.

In a saucepan over low heat, melt white chocolate, stirring frequently until smooth. Cool. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add flour; mix well. Add eggs and vanilla; beat on low speed just until combined. Remove 1 cup and set aside. Stir melted white chocolate into remaining cream cheese mixture; beat just until combined. Pour over crust.

Melt chocolate chips; cool slightly. Stir in reserved cream cheese mixture; drop by spoonfuls over filling. Cut through filling with a knife to swirl chocolate mixture.

Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around endge of pan to loosen. Cool 1 hour longer.

In a saucepan over low heat, melt semisweet chocolate with cream; sti until smooth. Cool slightly. Spread over cheesecake. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Remove sides of pan. Garnish with chocolate shavings and macadamia nuts.

Yield: 12 servings