Shelly's Recipe

CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT CHEESECAKE

Category: Cheesecake

Crust
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups finely ground vanilla wafers
3/4 cup toasted, ground hazelnuts
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp butter, melted

Filling
3 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tbsp hazelnut or chocolate flavored liqueur
1 cup coarsely chopped chocolate chips

Glaze
12 skinned, toasted hazelnuts
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted until smooth
4 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp hazelnut or chocolate flavored liqueur

In a food processor, finely chop chocolate chips. Place in a small mixing bowl. Add remaining crust ingredients and mix until combined. Press onto bottom and up sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake at 300 for 15 minutes. Cool. Increase oven temperature to 350

Filling: Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add sugar; mix well. Add eggs and liqueur. Mix until well blended then add the in chopped chocolate chips. Pour batter into crust. Bake for 1 hour and let cool 1 hour. Remove outer ring from pan. Let cool completely.

Glaze: Dip hazelnuts into melted chocolate, covering 1/2 of each nut. Shake off excess chocolate and place on wax-paper lined plate. Chill until set. To remaining chocolate, add sour cream. Mix well and stir in liqueur. Spread glaze on top of cooled cheesecake. Garnish with dipped nuts.