Hazelnut Macaroon Cheesecake

Hazelnut crust

1 cp roasted hazelnuts (350 for 10 mn.)
3 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla
2 cps powdered sugar
1/2 cp sugar
1/8 tsp salt

ameretto cream cheese filling

1/2 cp ameretto
3 tsp unflavored geletin
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 lbs cream cheese
3/4 cp sugar
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
2 cps cream

hazelnut macaroon:

heat oven to 350
grease 10 inch springform pan
line with parchment (DO NOT USE WAX PAPER AS IT STICKS HORRIBLY !)
grease parchment
line a cookie sheet with greased parchment

whisk together eggs and vanilla

remove as much skin from the hazelnuts as is convenient
chop the nuts in a food processor with one cup of the powdered sugar for 30 sec.
add both powdered and regular sugar pulse a few times to combine
with processer running, pour in egg mixture
process for 15 sec until smooth

reserve 1/2 – 1/3 cup batter

pour remaining into springform, smooth with spatula
pour reserved batter onto cookie sheet, spread in a 7-8 inch disk

bake crust 25-30 min., disk 20-25 min.

cool on wire rack

chop op the disk into 1/8 inch pieces and soak in 1/4 amaretto
(DO NOT SOAK FOR MORE THAN 15 MIN OR THEY GET SOGGY !)

carefully remove crust (VERY CAREFULLY)

replace bottom of springform with foil wrapped cardboard circle

replace crust

amaretto cheesecake filling:

sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cp amaretto, let stand 5 min.
heat in sauce pan with hot (not boiling) water stirring for 4 min.
leave in hot water to stay warm

beat cream cheese in mixer for 1 min.
add lemon juice and zest, mix
beat cream to soft peaks
fold 1/3 cream into cream cheese
fold in remaining whipped cream
fold in soaked macaroon disk bits

scrape into prepared pan, cover with plastic wrap
refridgerate at least 3 hrs. (preferably overnight)

decorate as you see fit