Source:

Castle River Inn

Serves/Makes:12 or more

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 9 oz (252 grm). (about 20) Oreo cookies
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar
• 6 tbsp (90 ml) unsalted butter, melted
• Filling:
• 2 lbs (.9 kg). cream cheese
• 1-1/2 cups (350 ml) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) almond extract
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 5 or more Almond Joy candy bars cut into 1/2" pieces (as many as 8 per cheesecake)

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees (175 C.).
• Finely process cookies and put in 9" spring form pan.
• Add sugar, stir.
• Add melted butter, stir.
• Press crust evenly on bottom and halfway up side of pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees (175 C.) for about 10 minutes, until crust is set.
• Filling:
• Beat cream cheese and sugar together until smooth.
• Add extract.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
• Fold in candy bars.
• Pour filling into crust and bake about 1 hour or until middle is set.

Comments

This recipe is courtesy of Castle River Inn Wichita, KS Paula and Terry Lowry, Innkeeper

Variation: Cookies & Cream Cheesecake

In the filling, substitute vanilla extract for almond extract, add 1/4 cup heavy cream and use 9 ounces of Oreo cookies instead of candy bars.

Hints:

* Place a pan filled 1 inch of water on lower rack in oven during baking.

*Chill cheesecake completely before removing from pan.

To remove from pan, cut around cake with dull knife. Slide very large knife under crust and loosen all around before transferring to serving plate.

* Cut cheesecake with large knife, dipping the knife in hot water before each cut.