DIETS: VT Serves 12 Time: 4.5 hours, plus refrigeration overnight
Ingredients:
1 cup diced dried peaches
1 cup amaretto liqueur (plus a little extra)
2 cups vanilla wafer cookie crumbs
1 1/2 cups, plus 1 Tbsp, sugar (divided)
1/2 cup almond paste (divided)
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
5 packages (8oz each) cream cheese (softened)
1 teaspoon almond extract
6 eggs
4 additional egg yolks
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions:
In a small bowl, combine peaches with 1 cup amaretto. Marinate at least 2 hrs (or overnight if you have time).
Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine cookie crumbs, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1/4 cup almond paste and melted butter in a medium bowl. Press into the bottom of a lightly greased 10" springform pan.
For filling, mix cream cheese, remaining 1/4 cup almond paste, remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and almond extract. Mix until smooth.
Beat in eggs and yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each.
Drain marinated peaches, but save the amaretto. Add additional amaretto to make 1 cup of liquid. Stir amaretto and cream into cream cheese mixture.
Stir in marinated peaches and pour filling over crust.
Place springform pan into a larger pan and add hot water to larger pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
Bake 1 1/2 hours until center is set. Remove cheesecake from oven and the pan of water. Allow to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
To serve, use a knife to loosen sides of cheesecake from pan; remove springform.
Nutrition Info Per Serving: Calories 775 Total Fat 47 g Cholesterol 269 mg Sodium 396 mg Potassium 359 mg Total Carbohydrate 72 g Dietary Fiber 2 g Sugars 60 g Protein 13 g