Description

This luscious Amaretto Cheesecake features a crisp vanilla wafer crust and a creamy amaretto-infused filling baked in a water bath for a smooth, crack-free texture. Topped with a light amaretto mousse and sliced almonds, this elegant dessert offers a perfect balance of nutty almond flavors and rich, velvety cheesecake that’s ideal for special occasions or gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Vanilla Wafer Crust:

2 1/4 cups (302g) vanilla wafer crumbs
10 tbsp (140g) salted butter, melted
3 tbsp (39g) sugar

For the Amaretto Cheesecake Filling:

24 oz (678g) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (207g) sugar
3 tbsp (24g) all purpose flour
1 cup (230g) sour cream
1 tsp almond extract
5 tbsp (75g) amaretto liqueur
4 large eggs, room temperature

For the Amaretto Mousse:

1 cup plus 2 tbsp (270ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
5 tbsp (36g) powdered sugar
3 tbsp (45ml) amaretto liqueur
¼ tsp almond extract
6 ounces (169g) cream cheese, room temperature
Sliced almonds for garnish

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Instructions

Make the Crust: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line the bottom of a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides. Combine vanilla wafer crumbs, melted salted butter, and sugar in a bowl until evenly combined. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool. Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil to prevent water from entering during the water bath baking.
Prepare the Filling: Reduce oven temperature to 300°F (148°C). In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and flour on low speed until smooth and fully combined, taking care to avoid incorporating too much air. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add sour cream, almond extract, and amaretto liqueur; mix on low speed until uniform. Add eggs one at a time, beating slowly after each addition and scraping the bowl as needed to ensure everything is well incorporated.
Bake the Cheesecake: Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Place the springform pan inside a larger baking pan. Fill the outer pan with warm water about halfway up the springform pan’s sides without surpassing the foil edge. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes until the center is set but slightly jiggly. Turn off the oven and leave the door closed for 30 minutes to let the cheesecake continue cooking gently. Then crack the oven door and let it cool for 20 to 30 minutes more to prevent cracks. Remove from the oven and water bath and refrigerate for 5-6 hours or overnight until firm.
Make the Amaretto Mousse: Once cheesecake is chilled and firm, whip cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, amaretto, and almond extract in a large bowl on high speed until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese in two portions until fully combined.
Assemble the Cheesecake: Remove cheesecake from the springform pan and place on a serving platter. Spread about half of the mousse over the top. Use the remaining mousse to pipe a decorative border along the edge. The mousse may be soft initially but will firm up after chilling. Sprinkle sliced almonds over the mousse and refrigerate until serving.

Notes

Makes 12-14 slices.
Store cheesecake well-covered in the refrigerator and consume within 3-4 days for best freshness.
Freezes well for up to 2 months. Wrap whole cheesecake or individual slices tightly in two layers of plastic wrap. Thaw in refrigerator before serving.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/13th of cake)
Calories: 520
Sugar: 32g
Sodium: 220mg
Fat: 38g
Saturated Fat: 22g
Unsaturated Fat: 12g
Trans Fat: 0.5g
Carbohydrates: 34g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 7g
Cholesterol: 135mg