White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 cup crushed shortbread cookies (about 3 ounces)
3 tablespoons finely chopped slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 6 oz package white baking bars, melted and cooled
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 recipe raspberry sauce (see recipe below)

Directions:

1. For crust, in a small bowl, combine crushed cookies and almonds. Stir in melted butter. Press crushed cookie mixture onto the bottom of an 8 inch spring form pan. Set aside.

2. For filling, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and cooled baking bars with an electric mixer on medium high speed until combined. Beat in sugar until mixture is fluffy.

3. Add the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla; beat on low speed until just combined. Pour into crust. Place on a shallow baking pan.

4. Bake in a 350 degree F oven about 45 minutes or until center is nearly set when you shake the cheesecake gently.

5. Cool for 15 minutes. Loosen from side of pan. Cool for 30 minutes more; remove side of pan. Cool completely.

6. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

7. Cut in wedges and drizzle some of the raspberry sauce over each serving.

Makes: 8 Servings

(Cheesecake puffs during baking; it well settle as it cools.)

Raspberry Sauce:

In a saucepan, melt one 10 oz jar seedless raspberry preserves over low heat. Add 1 cup fresh red raspberries or loose pack frozen lightly sweetened red raspberries. Heat gently just until sauce simmers. Cool. Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons raspberry liqueur, if you like. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until serving time. Makes 1 2/3 cups.