Recipe - Pineapple Mac Nut Cheesecake

BARB DAY
20 ounce Pineapple; crushed, canned,
unsweetened, undrained
1 One half cup Vanilla wafer crumbs
One fourth cup Unsalted butter; plus two
tablespoons, melted
One fourth cup Brown sugar; firmly packed,
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 Egg white; lightly beaten
16 ounce Cream cheese; softened
2/3 cup Sugar
4 Eggs
One fourth cup Light rum
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
12 ounce Coconut; grated
One half cup Macadamia nuts; chopped
16 ounce Sour cream
One fourth cup Sugar; plus 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon Light rum

Drain the pineapple, reserving One fourth cup of the juice. Set pineapple and
juice aside. Combine vanilla wafer crumbs, butter, brown sugar and 1
teaspoon vanilla extract; stir well. Firmly press the crumb mixture on the
bottom of a 10" springform pan. Brush with egg white; bake at 350 degrees
F. for 10 minutes. Set aside. Beat cream cheese at medium speed of an
electric mixer until light and fluffy; gradually add 2/3 cup sugar, beating
well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in
One fourth cup rum and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Fold in reserved pineapple,
coconut and macadamia nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350
degrees F. for one hour. Remove cheesecake from oven; increase oven
temperature to 450 degrees F. Beat sour cream at medium speed 2 minutes.
Add reserved pineapple juice, One fourth cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1
tablespoon rum; beat 1 minute. Spread mixture on top of cheesecake. Bake at
450 degrees F. for 5 minutes. Turn oven off. Partially open oven door and
let cheesecake cool in oven for 1 hour. Let cool to room temperature in pan
on a wire rack; chill at least 2 hours. Carefully remove sides of
springform pan.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini