Chocolate-Cherry Cheesecake

 

2

cups chocolate cookie crumbs

3

tablespoons butter, melted

4

packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

3

eggs

3/4

cup sugar

1/2

teaspoon almond extract

1/2

cup whipping cream

1

can (21 oz) cherry pie filling

1/2

cup whipping cream

1

cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)

• 1 Heat oven to 325°F. In medium bowl, combine crust ingredients; mix well. Press in bottom and 1 inch up sides of ungreased 10-inch springform pan.
• 2 In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sugar and almond extract until smooth. Add 1/2 cup whipping cream; blend well.
• 3 Spoon 3 1/2 cups cream cheese mixture into crust-lined pan, spreading evenly. Carefully spoon 1 cup pie filling evenly over cream cheese layer (reserve remaining pie filling for topping). Spoon remaining cream cheese mixture evenly over pie filling.
• 4 Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack 1 hour.
• 5 In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/2 cup whipping cream to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips until melted.
• 6 Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Remove side of pan. Place cheesecake on paper-lined cookie sheet. Spread glaze over cooled cheesecake, allowing some to flow down side. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. Serve topped with remaining pie filling.