Raspberry and Almond Praline Cheesecake

By MissiAnn

Toasted ground almonds can be substituted, but they will have less crunch than the almond praline.
Use fresh or frozen unsweetened and thawed raspberries for the puree. Serve this exceptionally soft and creamy cheesecake cold.

Ingredients

• Almond Praline:
• Butter for pan
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup blanched slivered almonds
• Crust:
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup almond praline powder or ground toasted blanched almonds
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus extra for pan
• Filling:
• 2 pounds cream cheese, softened 3 to 4 hours at room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 1/4 cups almond praline powder or ground toasted almonds
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup unsweetened raspberry puree, strained from about 2 cups raspberries
• 1 cup fresh raspberries, for serving with cheesecake, optional

Preparation

Step 1

To prepare Almond Praline, lightly oil metal baking sheet. Cook sugar over low heat in large, heavy skillet or medium saucepan, preferably with nonstick finish, stirring occasionally with wooden spoon.
When sugar begins to melt, increase heat to medium and cook sugar to light golden color, about 6 minutes.
Add nuts, stirring to coat completely with syrup, about 1 minute. Mixture will turn slightly darker golden color.
Immediately pour praline onto prepared baking sheet, spreading with wooden spoon. Be careful. Mixture is very hot. Cool until hard and cool to touch.
Break praline into 1- to 2-inch pieces and crush with clean hammer, rolling pin or meat pounder into small pieces, about 1/2 inch. Process praline in food processor until it forms a powder.
Praline powder is ready to use same day or can be frozen up to 3 months.
Makes about 2 cups.
To prepare crust, butter 9-inch springform pan with sides at least 2 3/4 inches high. Wrap outside of pan with large piece of heavy foil.
On low speed, mix flour, sugar, praline powder and butter pieces in large bowl just until pea-sized crumbs form. Mixture should not form ball. Press mixture onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of prepared pan.
Bake at 325 degrees until crust is golden, about 25 minutes.
To prepare filling, mix cream cheese in large bowl on low speed until smooth.
Add sugar and mix until smooth. Mix in flour. Add eggs, 2 at time, mixing until batter is smooth.
Mix in vanilla. Transfer 2 1/2 cups batter to medium bowl. Stir 3/4 cup praline powder and almond extract into mixture and set aside.
Mix raspberry puree into batter in large bowl, stirring just until mixture is evenly pink. Pour raspberry batter into prepared pan.
Place cheesecake in large baking pan with at least 2-inch-high sides. Place in oven. Pour hot water into large pan to reach 1-inch up sides of springform pan. Bake 40 minutes.
Carefully slide oven rack out several inches. Pour reserved almond batter all around inside edge of pan. Batter will flow evenly to cover top of cake. Bake 20 minutes. Give cheesecake gentle shake and top should look firm. Cool cheesecake in water bath 1 hour, covered loosely with paper towel.
Carefully remove cheesecake from water bath. Remove paper towel and cool 1 hour more.
Cheesecake should feel cool to touch. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.