Amaretto Hazelnut Macaroon Cheesecake

Hazelnut Crust

1 c Hazelnuts, roast 10 min at 350

3 Egg whites

2 ts Vanilla

2 c Powdered sugar

1/2 c Sugar

1/8 ts Salt

Filling:

1/2 c Amaretto

3 ts Gelatin, unflavored

2 ts Vanilla

1 1/2 lb Cream cheese

3/4 c Sugar

2 tb Lemon juice

1 ts Lemon zest

2 c Cream

Hazelnut macaroon: heat oven to 350.

Grease 10 inch springform pan.

Line with parchment.

Grease parchment.

Line a cookie sheet with greased parchment.

Whisk together eggs and vanilla.

Remove as much skin from the hazelnuts as is convenient.

Chop the nuts in a food processor with one cup of the powdered sugar for 30 sec.

Add both powdered and regular sugar.

Pulse a few times to combine.

With processer running, pour in egg mixture.

Process for 15 sec until smooth.

Reserve 1/2 - 1/3 cup batter.

Pour remaining into springform, smooth with spatula.

Pour reserved batter onto cookie sheet, spread in a 7-8 inch disk.

 Bake crust 25-30 min., disk 20-25 min.

Cool on wire rack.

Chop up the disk into 1/8 inch pieces and soak in 1/4 amaretto.

Carefully remove crust.

Replace bottom of springform with foil wrapped cardboard circle.

Replace crust.

Amaretto cheesecake filling: sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cp amaretto, let stand 5 min.

Heat in sauce pan with hot (not boiling) water stirring for 4 min., leave in hot water to stay warm.

Beat cream cheese in mixer for 1 min.

Add lemon juice and zest, mix.

Beat cream to soft peaks.

Fold 1/3 cream into cream cheese.

Fold in remaining whipped cream.

Fold in soaked macaroon disk bits.

Scrape into prepared pan, cover with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate at least 3 hrs. (preferably overnight)