WHITE CHOCOLATE AND RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE

Serves 8

For the crust:
1 cup sugar cookie crumbs
1 cup almonds, toasted
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For filling:
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 large eggs
3/4 cup fresh raspberries or frozen unsweetened, thawed, drained
Topping:
3/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pint raspberries or strawberries
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

For crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Select a 9-inch springform pan. Butter bottom and sides of pan. Finely grind almonds in processor.
Add cookie crumbs and butter. Blend well. Press crust mixture onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of pan.
Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool.
For Filling:
Melt white chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and peel in large bowl until smooth.
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined. Beat in white chocolate.
Spoon half of batter into crust. Top with 3/4 cup berries. Spoon remaining batter over.
Bake until edges of cake are set but center 3 inches still moves when cake is shaken, about 45 minutes. Cool 30 minutes.
For topping:
Whisk sour cream, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Spoon over cake, spreading to edge of pan. Bake 5 minutes. Transfer cake to rack.
Run small knife around sides of cake. Cool completely. Chill cake overnight. Remove sides of pan. Transfer cheesecake to platter. Arrange berries neatly on top of cake .
Melt jam in a small saucepan, stirring often. Brush jam over berries. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead; chill.)