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Bring some light and joy to your sweet treat with this astoundingly delicate and delicious dessett from the kitchens of  ulariogryphon

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Apologies for the horrible lighting in my kitchen. >_<
I always said that if I couldn't draw I'd be a pastry chef. Among a few circles, I'm pretty well known for my cheesecakes.

I baked this almond joy cheesecake for an Easter gathering. It was a new recipe, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

Almond Joy bars are one of my favorite candies. If you're like me and love coconut, then this recipe is for you because it has a lot of coconut flavor. :)
If you're one of those people that hate coconut... well... why are you even looking at a recipe for almond joy cheesecake. >_<


Recipe

CRUST:
* 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
* 1/3 cup flaked coconut
* 1/3 cup chopped almonds
* 1/3 cup melted butter

FILLING:
* 3 (8 oz packages) cream cheese. Softened.
* 3/4 cup Sugar
* 1 Tbsp Coconut extract
* 3 eggs lightly beaten
* 1 cup flaked coconut

GLAZE:
* 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
* 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
* 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* Toasted coconut and toasted almond pieces for garnish (I toast both on medium heat in a skillet so I can watch them. They tend to burn very, very easily)

1 Place a greased 9 inch springform pan on a double thickness of heavy duty foil. Securely wrap foil around the pan. Grease the pan. (Yes, you do need a springform pan for this. If you don't have one, you can pick them up pretty cheap at a baking shop or grocery store).

2. In a bowl combine cracker crumbs, coconut and almonds. Stir in the butter. Press into bottom and 1 inches up the sides of the springform pan. Place on a baking sheet. Back for 350 for 12 minutes. Cool.

3. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in coconut extract. Add eggs and beat on low until combined. Fold in coconut. Pour into crust. Place springform onto baking pan and add one inch of boiling water to the larger pan.

4. Bake at 325 for 45-55 minutes or until center is just set. Remove springform from water bath. Remove foil. Run a knife along the edges of the springform pan to loosen the cheesecake from the side so it doesn't stick to the sides and cause while cooling which can cause cracks in the cheesecake. Let cool for an hour then refrigerate overnight.

5. Place chocolate chips in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate and whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Cool until it reaches spreading consistency, stirring occasionally.

6. Remove rim from the springform pan. Spread chocolate mixture over the cheesecake. Refrigerate until set. If desired, top with toasted coconut and almonds.

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Allergy warning – recipe contains treenut, dairy & egg products