Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (or use Oreo’s premade)
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

• 4 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling (reserve 1/4 for topping)

• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)
• 1/4 reserved cherry pie filling for topping garnish

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 325°F. In medium bowl, combine crust ingredients; mix well. Press in bottom and 1 inch up sides of ungreased 10-inch springform pan.
2. In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sugar and almond extract until smooth. Add 1/2 cup whipping cream; blend well.
3. Spoon 3 1/2 cups cream cheese mixture into crust-lined pan, spreading evenly. Carefully spoon 1 cup pie filling evenly over cream cheese layer (reserve remaining pie filling for topping). Spoon remaining cream cheese mixture evenly over pie filling.
4. Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack 1 hour.
5. In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/2 cup whipping cream to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips until melted.
6. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Remove side of pan. Place cheesecake on paper-lined cookie sheet. Spread glaze over cooled cheesecake, allowing some to flow down side. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. Serve topped with remaining pie filling.