Coconut Macaroon Cheesecake
CRUST:
1 cup toasted coconut
1/2 cup ground almonds
2 T Butter
FILLING:
3 8 oz packages cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 T amaretto or 1/2 tsp almond extract
3 eggs
2/3 cup toasted coconut
TOPPING:
3 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
6 T sugar
1/3 cup flaked coconut
1 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tsp shortning
- Preheat oven to 350 * F
- In a small bowl combine 1 cup toasted coconut, ground almonds and melted butter
- Press mixture onto bottom of a 9 in spring form pan
- In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and amaretto or almond extract
- Beat until smooth
- Add whole eggs all at once, beat on low until combined,
- pour over crust
- Place pan in shallow baking pan
- Bake 40 minutes
- Sprinkle with 2/3 cup toasted coconut
- In a large glass bowl combine egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar
- Beat on high until soft peaks form
- Slowly beat in 6 T sugar, one T at a time until stiff peaks form
- Spread over cheesecake within 1 inch of edge
- sprinkle with 1/3 coconut
- Bake an additional 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned
- cool on wire rack for 15 minutes, loosen cheesecake and cool an additional 30 minutes before removing side.
- Cover and chill for 12-24 hours
- Before serving combine shocolate and shortning cook on low until melted, stirring constantly
- Drizzle over cheesecake
- Let set before serving