Crust:
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup chopped, peeled hazelnuts
2 oz butter, melted
6 oz white chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
Filling:
3 8oz packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 oz Frangelico liqueur
1 oz heavy cream
Crust:
Combine crumbs, hazelnuts and butter. Mix well. Press over bottom
of buttered 10-inch cake pan. Bake in preheated 325º oven
for 5 minutes. Cool. Melt white chocolate and cream together for
ganache. Spread ganache on cooled crust. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Filling:
Mix cream cheese until smooth, gradually adding sugar. Add eggs,
one at a time. Add Frangelico and heavy cream. Spoon into cooled
crust. Set in larger pan with an inch or so of hot water for a
water bath. Bake on center shelf in preheated 325-degree oven
about 1 1/4 hours or until wooden pick inserted in center comes
out clean. Cool in oven with the door open. Chill 12 hours or
overnight. Sprinkle with Toffee Crunch, serve with caramel sauce.
Hazelnut-Toffee Crunch
1/3 cup whole almonds
3/4 cup whole peeled hazelnuts
2/3 cup sugar
4 tsp light corn syrup
4 tsp water
4 tbsp margarine
4 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp soda
Caramel Sauce:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 cup heavy cream
Crunch:
Toast and chop nuts. Bring sugar, corn syrup and water to a boil
in pan about 6 inches deep. Cover and boil 2 minutes. Add butter
and margarine. Cook until mixture reaches 300 degrees on candy
thermometer. Add nuts, salt and baking soda. Pour onto baking
sheet which has been sprayed with vegetable spray. Cool and chop
into small pieces.
Sauce:
Mix sugar, water and lemon juice in heavy saucepan. Cook over
moderate heat until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Very carefully
and slowly whisk in heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until
mixture reaches desired consistency. (If cream is added too fast,
mixture will boil over.) Cool.