Ingredients: 2 Cups finely crushed chocolate wafers (I use Oreo cookie crumbs) 1/3 Cup butter, melted (no subtitutes) 1 Tablespoon butter (no substitutes), softened to room temperature 1/4 Cup sliced almonds, (crushed to approx. 1/8" pieces) 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened at room temperature 3/4 Cup granulated sugar 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract 1/2 Teaspoon almond extract 24 oz. Sour Cream 3 Large eggs 2 Tablespoons Kirsch (Cherry Liqueur), optional 3/4 Cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped Topping: 1 cup heavy whipping cream Semi-sweet chocolate curls Directions: For crust, in a medium mixing bowl combine cookie crumbs and 1/3 cup melted butter making sure they are thoroughly combined. Generously grease sides of 9" springform pan. Carfully press cookie crumb mixture in bottom of pan pressing with a flat-bottomed measuring cup. (Keep the crumbs from coming up the sides of the pan.) Make sure it is completely pressed into bottom of pan. Holding pan at an angle, pour almonds into side of pan. Roll pan around to let almonds coat sides of pan, and let excess pour out. (Warning: If you turn pan to too high an angle, you risk crust falling out.) For filling, in a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla, and almond extract with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until combined. Add sour cream, eggs, and Kirsch. Beat on low speed just until combined. Pour half of the filling into the crust-lined springform pan. Sprinkle chopped dried cherries evenly over the filling. Place the springform pan in a shallow baking pan on center oven rack. Bake in a 350 degree oven about 55 minutes or until center appears set when shaken (edge should just start getting lightly browned). Remove springform pan from baking pan. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a small metal spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen crust (try not to damage almond crust). Cool 30 minutes more. Remove sides of springform pan. Cool for 1 hour, then cover and chill for at least 4 hours (overnight is better and a couple days is even better). Before serving whip cream to soft peaks and spread to within 3/4" of the edge of cheesecake keeping it thicker in the center . . . domelike). Sprinkle chilled chocolate curls on top. Makes 12-16 servings