Grasshopper Cheesecake

Lion House’s Cakes and Cupcakes
Makes 16 servings.

Crust (or sub. Graham cracker crust)
1 ½ cups slivered almonds
¼ cup powdered whey
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup butter, melted

Ganache
4.5 oz bittersweet baking chocolate
¼ cup heavy cream

Filling
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Green food coloring, as desired
4 eggs
Whipped cream, for garnish
Chocolate sauce, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust: Place almonds in food processor fitted with an S-blade. Process until almonds are a medium-fine texture. Add whey and sugar and pulse once. Place almond meal in a bowl and drizzle melted butter into it. Mix with your hands until it feels slightly squishy. Press into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and slightly pulling away from the sides of the pan. Remove from oven and let crust cool while you make the ganache.

For ganache: Melt chocolate with cream in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Whisk well to make a smooth, shiny ganache. Spread evenly over the crust and set aside.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Place a pan of water on bottom rack of oven.

For filling: In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Beat in sugar and sour cream and mix well. Add peppermint extract and food coloring. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until very smooth and creamy.

Pour the mixture into the chocolate-coated crust. Place cake in the oven, on the rack above the pan of water. Bake 1 hour. Turn off oven and prop the door open to cool cake slowly for 1 hour so the cake will not crack.

Remove from oven and chill at least 2 hours. Remove sides of pan and slice into 16 even pieces. Garnish with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.