Pistachio Cheesecake

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup ground almonds or 1/2 cup walnuts
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup cold butter
• 6 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 (3 1/2 ounce) packages instant pistachio pudding mix
• 5 eggs
• chocolate syrup
• whipped cream (optional)
• finely chopped pistachio nut (optional)

Recipe

• 1 in a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, and almonds; cut in butter until crumbly. press onto the bottom and 1 1/4 inches up the sides of a greased 9- or 10-inch springform pan. bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
• 2 meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, beat room temperature cream cheese, milk and pudding mixes until smooth. (note: if the cream cheese is not at room temperature, the cheesecake will turn out with small lumps.) add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. do not overbeat. pour mixture over crust. put a piece of foil underneath the pan and wrap it up a little bit on the sides.
• 3 place pan in another pan or cooking dish that is about 2 or 3 inches larger around than the springform pan. place pan in the oven and pour boiling water into the water bath pan about halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
• 4 reduce the heat to 350 degrees. bake for 50-60 minutes or until the center is almost set. place on a wire rack until the cheesecake has cooled. carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen. refrigerate, covered, overnight (the cheesecake is even better if you leave it in the refrigerator for 2 days before eating).
• 5 remove sides of pan. slice cheesecake; drizzle slices with chocolate syrup. garnish with whipped cream and pistachios, if desired.