Cannoli Cheesecake

Total Time: 2 hrs 40 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sliced natural almonds
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 9 ounces refrigerated sugar cookie dough
• 2 (15 ounce) containers whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 cup golden raisin
• 1/4 cup amaretto liqueur or 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temp
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 6 eggs
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• mini chocolate chip (for decorating top) (optional)
• almonds (for decorating top) (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 375* coat a 9x3'' springform pan with cooking spray.
• 2 bake almonds on an ungreased baking sheet until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes; remove from pan and cool.
• 3 crust: knead flour into cookie dough until just combined; knead in almonds.
• 4 using measuring cup press dough onto bottom of the pan.
• 5 bake 10-12 minutes or until browned.
• 6 cool on rack and reduce oven temperature.
• 7 to 325* cheesecake: meanwhile, line colander with paper towels; place on plate.
• 8 place ricotta cheese in colander on towels and dry slightly for 15 minutes.
• 9 in microwave safe bowl combine raisins and amaretto.
• 10 microwave on high for 30-45 seconds until hot; let stand to plump.
• 11 at medium high speed, beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
• 12 add eggs and ricotta cheese; beat until blended, 2-3 minutes.
• 13 batter will be thin.
• 14 add sour cream, flour, vanilla and salt; beat 1 minute.
• 15 stir in chips and reserved raisins with amaretto.
• 16 pour batter into pan.
• 17 bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until browned around edge and center jiggles slightly when pan is shaken slightly.
• 18 cool completely on rack.
• 19 run knife around edge of cake to loosen.
• 20 cover;refrigerate 8 hours.
• 21 topping: at medium-high speed beat cream and sugar until soft peaks form.
• 22 if desired, transfer 1 cup whipped cream to pasty bag fitted with large rosette tip.
• 23 spread cake top with remaining whipped cream.
• 24 pipe cream around top edge of cake or mound with spoon.
• 25 garnish with chips and almonds if you prefer.