White Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust:

1 cup slivered almonds

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (7 ounces)

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

8 ounces fine-quality white chocolate

4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

4 whole large eggs

2 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

Glaze:

8 ounces white chocolate, chopped

½ cup heavy cream

Topping:

3-ounce bar white chocolate

Directions

Make crust: Finely grind almonds and crumbs in a food processor and add butter, blending until combined. Press over bottom and 2/3 up the side of a 10-inch springform pan.

Make filling: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth, and remove from heat.

Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer at medium speed until fluffy, then beat in sugar. Add whole eggs and yolks, 1 at a time, beating well at low speed and scraping down the bowl after each addition.

Beat in flour and vanilla until just combined, then add melted chocolate in a slow stream, beating until filling is well combined.

Pour filling into crust. Bake in middle of oven until cake is set 3 inches from edge but the center is still wobbly when the pan is gently shaken 45 to 55 minutes.

Run a thin knife around edge of cake to loosen, then cool completely in pan on a rack. (Cake will continue to set as it cools.) When cheesecake is cooled, heat heavy cream until it starts to boil. Remove the pan from the stove and add the white chocolate.  Let it sit for 1-2 minutes and then stir the glaze until all the chocolate is melted.  Pour the glaze over the cheesecake; then using a vegetable peeler, shave pieces of white over the cheesecake.   Cover and chill for several hours before serving. Serve at room temperature or chilled.