Recipe#3335

Title: Almond 01

From: The ChiliDog thechilidog@geocities.com 
 Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes 
 Subject: Almond Cream Cheese Cake 
 Date: 28 Apr 1997 14:34:07 -0500 
 Message-ID: <5k2u3f$had@garnet.tc.umn.edu> 

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
 2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened
 1 cup +2 T sugar
 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
 3 eggs
 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9inch round cake pan and
 line the bottom and sides with almonds.
 With an electric mixer at low speed, beat cream cheese until soft
 and smooth. With machine running, add sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest,
 and juice, beating well between additions. Add eggs, one at a time,
 beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. To ensure even
 mixing, be sure to scrape down the bowl between additions. Fold in
 the chopped chocolate evenly. Pour batter into lined cake pan. Tap
 it 3 or 4 times on the counter to eliminate air pockets. Place
 inside a larger pan and pour in boiling water until it rises halfway
 up the sides of the cake pan. Bake about 45 minutes, until center
 feels firm when pressed.
 Set aside to cool on a rack, then refrigerate 2 to 3 hours. To
 unmold, place pan over a low burner about 2 minutes. Invert onto
 a platter, then invert again (the nuts should be on the bottom).
 The cake can be kept in the refrigerator up to 2 days. At least
 two or up to eight hours before serving, top with the melted
 chocolate: Dip your fingers or a fork into the melted chocolate
 and drizzle over the center in a freeform pattern.  Refrigerate
 until serving time.