Served as dessert. Vegetarian dish. Speciality: Occasion - Dinner Party.

Italian

Crust

2 1/2 cups Vanilla Cream-filled sandwich style Cookies, crumbs

1/8 teaspoon Almond Extract

2 ounces melted Butter or Margarine

Filling

24 ounces Cream Cheese, room temperature

4 large Eggs, room temperature

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed Milk

1 teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract

1/8 teaspoon Almond Extract

3 ounces Amaretto

4 ounces toasted sliced Almonds, crushed slightly

Spray a 9 inch spring form pan with a cooking spray, the bottom and sides. Place cookie crumbs (including the vanilla filling) in a large bowl. Add the 1/8 tsp almond extract and the melted butter. Combine well until crumbly. Pack onto bottom and up the sides of prepared pan. Set aside. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a mixer bowl place 24 ounces cream cheese and beat until thick and fluffly. Add in the can of Sweetened Condensed Milk and combine well. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well to combine after each egg. Add the amaretto liquer and almond extract and vanilla extract. Beat well combined. Add by stirring in the toasted sliced crushed almond. Pour into prepared cookie lined spring form pan. If desired you can scatter a few toasted sliced almond over the top. Bake at 300 degrees oven for 60 minutes. Until the centre is set. Remove to a rack and cool at least two hours. Then refrigerate another 8 hours or overnite until serving. This cheesecake bakes as you would any other one. Bake by your favourite and tried and true method whether it be a water bath or dry heat works either way

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours

Serves: 12