Sunday, February 4, 2007

Coconut Cream Cheesecake

Crust
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
5 tablespoons well-chilled butter, cut
into small pieces

Combine flour and sugar in large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Gather into ball. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Press dough into bottom of 10-inch springform pan. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Reduce temperature to 300 degrees F.

Filling
24 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs (at room temperature)
2 egg yolks (at room temperature)
2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Toasted coconut (optional)

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and yolks one at a time. Mix in flaked coconut, whipped cream, fresh lemon juice, vanilla extract and almond extract. Pour filling into crust. Bake until edges of filling area firm, about 70 minutes.

Let cool completely. Remove springform. Cover with plastic. Refrigerate 4 hours. Garnish with toasted coconut. This can also be frozen.

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