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Ingredients
2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (or use Oreo’s premade)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
4 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling (reserve 1/4 for topping)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)
1/4 reserved cherry pie filling for topping garnish
Instructions
Heat oven to 325°F. In medium bowl, combine crust ingredients; mix well. Press in bottom and 1 inch up sides of ungreased 10-inch springform pan.
In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sugar and almond extract until smooth. Add 1/2 cup whipping cream; blend well.
Spoon 3 1/2 cups cream cheese mixture into crust-lined pan, spreading evenly. Carefully spoon 1 cup pie filling evenly over cream cheese layer (reserve remaining pie filling for topping). Spoon remaining cream cheese mixture evenly over pie filling.
Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack 1 hour.
In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/2 cup whipping cream to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips until melted.
Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Remove side of pan. Place cheesecake on paper-lined cookie sheet. Spread glaze over cooled cheesecake, allowing some to flow down side. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. Serve topped with remaining pie filling.
Notes
Look for chocolate cookie crumbs in the grocery store’s baking aisle. Or purchase chocolate wafers and process them in a food processor to form coarse crumbs. Wafers may also be crushed in a food storage plastic bag—crush them with a rolling pin. If you use chocolate graham crackers, more butter is necessary.
To make ahead, bake the cheesecake; cool and glaze. Freeze it until the glaze is set. Wrap tightly and freeze it for up to 1 month. Before serving, unwrap and thaw it in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours.
