7/8 c sugar
¼ c butter
1 lb cream cheese
¼ c pastry flour (sifted before measuring)
2 T honey
5 eggs, separated (whites beaten stiff but not dry)
½ c light cream
¼ t almond extract
1 t vanilla extract
½ c finely chopped blanched almonds, measured after chopping (chop in blender)
Topping:
¼ c light brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
¼ c finely chopped almonds
Cream butter and sugar together until well mixed, add the cheese; cream until mixture is fluffy. Blend in flour and honey, then the egg yolks. Beat well after adding egg yolks. Add cream and extracts, then lightly fold in the beaten egg whites. Next, fold in the chopped almonds with a few deft strokes, distributing them throughout the batter. Pour into a well-buttered spring form, sprinkle with topping mixture, set on a low rack in preheated oven (325) and bake for 1 hour. Turn off heat and allow to cool in oven for 1 additional hour. Cool before removing from springform pan.
A crumb crust may be used (standard graham cracker, sugar, butter crust).
I have used this recipe on and off for 25 years and we still find it fabulous. Easy and incredibly good.
Alan,
This sounds really good, going to give it a go this weekend. I was reading your post on the burgs and the other dishes you served that night and the menu sounds great. Care to share?
I made it today for Juan’s birthday… we’ll see in just a few moments!
Had it outside on the terraza, with coffee. We had a TV crew here filming for Ideal Granada and the unanimous consensus was applause and a recommendation for me to have a cooking show through Ideal!! The only recommendation was to toast or fry the almonds before grinding them up. I have to add though this is the country of almonds so, next time I will try it that way… Again, thanks for sharing the recipe.
I just made this as well. Came out very light and airy for a cheesecake but I know it packs some calories since I put it together. I didn’t get a big almond taste either so maybe toasting almonds first will help?
Very good Alan, thanks.
Toasting will bring out more flavor in the almonds we generally get in the US (California grown, mostly?); Spanish and Portuguese almonds, the fresh Marconas (among others) tend to be much more flavorful to me. For that matter, so were the almonds we used to get in Lebanon and Syria years (many years!) ago.