Giada De Laurentiis' Mascarpone Cheesecake With Almond Crust

Total Time: 1 hr 38 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 3 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted
• 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 (8 ounce) containers mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (recommended -- nutella)
• 1/4 cup whipping cream

Recipe

• 1 for the crust: preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
• 2 tightly wrap the outside of a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil.
• 3 finely grind the almonds, cracker crumbs, and sugar in a food processor. add the butter and process until moist crumbs form.
• 4 press the almond mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan (not on the sides of the pan).
• 5 bake the crust until it is set and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. cool. decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees f.
• 6 for the filling: using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and sugar in a large bowl until smooth, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• 7 beat in the lemon juice and vanilla. add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
• 8 pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan.
• 9 place the springform pan in a large roasting pan.
• 10 pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
• 11 bake until the center of the cheesecake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 5 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold).
• 12 transfer the cake to a rack; cool for 1 hour.
• 13 refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• 14 for the topping: combine the chocolate-hazelnut spread and cream in a small bowl. heat in the microwave until warm, stirring every 20 seconds to blend, about 1 minute.
• 15 cut the cake into wedges. drizzle the chocolate sauce over the wedges and serve.