Recipe - Holiday Ricotta Cheesecake

CRUST
1 One half cup Finely crushed graham
crackers
2 teaspoon Almond extract
3 tablespoon Butter (or margarine)

CHEESE FILLING
1 lg Lemon
2 Containers (1516 oz)
ricotta
6 Eggs
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Heavy cream
One half cup Flour
1 tablespoon Amaretto
One half teaspoon Salt
One fourth cup Sliced blanched almonds

TOPPING
1 cup Sour cream
2 tablespoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla

PREPARATIONS: Preheat oven to 350 F. use 10 spring form pan. Mix melted
butter with almond extract and add graham cracker crumbs. Press and bake 15
minutes. Remove oven and allow to cool completely.

Grate 1 tbs. zest from lemon rind; squeeze 3 tbs. juice. Set both aside.

Squeeze ricotta to remove excess liquid (if necessary); beat on low until
creamyno lumps. Beat in lemon peel, juice, eggs, and remainder of
ingredients (EXCEPT almonds) until perfectly blended. Pour over crust. Bake
for 1 hour, turn off oven; do not open oven for 1 additional hour. Remove
cake from oven.

Preheat oven once again to 350 F. Mix sour cream, sugar and vanilla.
Carefully spread over cheesecake and sprinkle blanched almonds over top.
Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen
cake; cool cheesecake on wire rack at room temperature for one hour. Remove
rim of pan. Refrigerate uncovered 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Can be served
with a dribble of Amaretto for additional flavor. 12