Recipe For Pine Nut Brittle Cheesecake

Pine Nut Brittle Cheesecake

Ingredients

.....3/4 cup pine nuts
.....1 1/2 cups sugar
.....3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
.....4 large eggs
.....1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
.....3 tablespoons amaretto
.....2 teaspoons vanilla
.....1 cup sour cream
.....Lemon crust (recipe below)

Preparation

In a 10 to 12 inch frying pan, toast nuts over low heat, shaking pan often, until nuts are light gold, about 12 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Add 3/4 cup sugar to pan; shake pan foten over medium high heat until sugar liquefies and turns golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in nuts, then immediately pour onto a butter sheet of foil. With a buttered spoon, press mixture to flatten slightly. Let cool, then break into about 1/2 inch chunks. If made ahead, store airtight up to 3 days.

In a bowl, beat until smooth cream cheese, remaining sugar, and eggs. Add lemon peel, amaretto, vanilla, and sour cream; beat until smooth. Pour half the mixture into crust and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 of the brittle (store remainder). Spoon remaining cheese mixture over brittle. Bake in a 325 degree oven until center of cake jiggles only slightly when gently shaken, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool. If made ahead, cover and chill up to 2 days.

Up to 30 minutes before serving, remove pan sides; set cake on a platter. Pile remaining nut brittle in center of cake.

Yield: 16 to 20 servings

Lemon Crust

In a food processor or blender, combine 32 vanilla wafers (2 inch size, broken into chunks) and 1/4 cup pine nuts; whirl until mixture forms fine crumbs. Pour into a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon grate lemon peel and 3 tablespoons melted butter. Press mixture evenly over bottom and about 1 inch up sides of a 9 inch cheesecake pan with removable bottom.