Apricot Cheesecake, Ultimate
Servings: About 12
1 cup ground vanilla wafers (approx. 25 wafers)
1 cup ground almonds
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
6 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
1 (15 1/4 oz.) can apricot halves, drained and puréed
1 (15 1/4 oz.) can apricot halves, drained for garnish
1/4 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 325°F
In a small bowl, combine the ground vanilla wafers, ground almonds and melted butter. Stir with a fork until mixed. Pat the crumb mixture over the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of a 10" springform pan. Cook crumb mixture in oven for 10 minutes. Cool.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until it is soft and fluffy. Add the 3/4 cup sugar and beat again until mixture is well blended. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, until mixture is fluffy. Add the vanilla extract, sour cream and apricot purée, mixing until blended.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they begin to hold soft peaks. Slowly add the 1/4 cup sugar, and beat mixture until whites form stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the cream cheese mixture.
Pour the cream cheese batter into the prepared crust. Bake for 1 hour until golden brown and the cake has puffed. Remove from the oven and cool the cake. Refrigerate several hours, or overnight before serving.
Garnish: 1 (15 1/4 oz.) can apricot halves, drained. Cut apricot halves into wedges. Place cheesecake on serving platter and place the apricot wedges around the cake.
Apricot Producers of California - www.apricotproducers.com
Created by Diane Wegner Deshler
|
