INGREDIENTS
* 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
* 1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
* 3/4 cup hazelnuts - toasted, skinned and coarsely chopped
* 2 tablespoons white sugar
* 3 tablespoons butter, melted
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* 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup white sugar
* 3 eggs, lightly beaten
* 3 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur
* 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
*
* 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
* 13 skinned, toasted hazelnuts
* 4 tablespoons sour cream
* 1 tablespoon hazelnut liqueur
DIRECTIONS
1. Using a blender or a food processor, finely chop 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips. Place in a small mixing bowl. Add vanilla wafer crumbs, ground hazelnuts, 2 tablespoons white sugar, and melted butter or margarine. Mix until well combined. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake in a preheated 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) oven for 15 minutes. Cool.
2. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup white sugar; mix well. Add the eggs and 3 tablespoons liqueur. Mix until well blended. Coarsely chop 1 cup of the semisweet chocolate chips, and add to the cream cheese mixture. Stir. Pour batter into the cooled crust.
3. Bake at in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 1 hour. Let cake cool for 1 hour. Remove outer ring from pan. Then let cool completely.
4. Melt 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips over hot (not boiling) water. Stir until smooth. Dip 13 hazelnuts into the chocolate, covering one-half of each nut. Shake off the excess chocolate. Place on a waxed-paper lined plate. Chill until set.
5. To the remaining melted chocolate, add sour cream. Mix well. Stir in 1 tablespoon liqueur. Spread glaze on top of the cooled cheesecake. Garnish with chocolate dipped hazelnuts.
