Marzipan Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce

Crust:
1-1/2 cups finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (about 15)
3 tablespoons margarine, melted

Filling:
3 packages cream cheese (8-oz. each), softened
1 can almond paste (8-oz.), crumbled
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 carton dairy sour cream (8-oz.)

Sauce:
1 package frozen unsweetened red raspberries (12-oz.), thawed
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Fresh raspberries (optional)

Crust: In a small mixing bowl combine cookie crumbs and margarine. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

Filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and almond paste on medium-high speed of an electric mixer until combined. Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Add eggs and sour cream all at once, beating on low speed just until combined. Pour mixture into the crust. Bake at 325° until the center is nearly set when gently shaken, about 1 hour. Cool for 15 minutes; loosen crust from sides of pan. Cool for 30 minutes more; remove sides of pan. Cool completely. Cover and chill for 4 to 6 hours.

Sauce: While cheesecake is cooling, prepare sauce. In a blender container blend thawed berries until smooth. Press through a sieve to remove seeds. In a saucepan combine pureed raspberries, sugar and lemon juice. Heat just until sugar is dissolved; cool. Pour into small container; cover and chill.

To serve, place a slice of cheesecake on a plate and drizzle sauce over. Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired.

Makes 12 servings

Note: Almond paste, the mainstay of marzipan, lends nutty richness to all-American cheesecake.

Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch, 6/30/93