Cheesecake Base

Cheesecake Base for all things Cheesecake. Feel free to play with the cookies and nuts used for the crust and to add any swirls you may want added into the base.

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 1 1/4 cup crushed vanilla wafers(or whatever cookie you have chosen)
• 3/4 cup chopped toasted almonds(bakers choice here)
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1/3 cup of melted unsalted butter
• Filling:
• 4 packages (8oz each) room temperature cream cheese
• 1 1/4 cup of sugar
• 4 eggs (room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract(again bakers choice here)

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine Wafer(cookies) crumbs, almonds(whatever nuts you have chosen to use), 1/3 cup of melted butter, and 1/4 cup of sugar and mix well. Press into the bottom of a 10 inch spring form pan and set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat room temperature cream cheese and 1 1/4 cup of sugar until creamy. Add 4 room temperature eggs one at a time beating well after each egg is added. Add 1 teaspoon of Vanilla extract and 1 1/2 teaspoon of Almond(or whatever your desire is). Mix until just combined and then pour onto crust and gently drop pan onto counter to get rid of any bubbles. Place in oven and bake for 55 minutes, or until center of cheesecake is set. Turn off the oven; but, leave cheesecake in oven for 30 minutes with oven cracked. Remove from oven and allow to chill on a wire rack. Refrigerate over night and enjoy the next day.