Recipes Desserts Cheesecakes Strawberry Almond Cheesecake with Matzo Crust Be the first to rate & review! This silky cheesecake gets sweetness and tang from a blend of cream cheese and sour cream. Matzo meal and ground almonds replace the usual graham crackers in the crust for a nutty, toasty crunch. Topped with sugary strawberries and toasted almond slivers, this cake makes a beautiful centerpiece at any table. Slideshow: More Cheesecake Recipes By Kelsey Jane Youngman Kelsey Jane Youngman Kelsey Jane Youngman is a New York–based cook, baker, writer, and editor for Food & Wine with over 7 years of experience in food media. Kelsey has developed recipes, worked in culinary production, starred in cooking videos, and baked cookies for Cookie Monster.Expertise: recipe development, cooking, baking, food styling.Experience: Kelsey Jane Youngman has spent her life in kitchens, and began her professional training at the San Francisco Cooking School before moving to New York City to attend the Natural Gourmet Institute. She completed an externship in the Good Housekeeping test kitchen and cooked on the line at several city restaurants before joining Food & Wine's test kitchen editorial team. There, Kelsey has managed the kitchens, tested and developed recipes, written feature stories, worked as a culinary producer on multiple video series, and starred in her own series, "The Best Way," as well as several episodes of "F&W Cooks." Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines and Justin Chapple Justin Chapple Facebook Instagram Twitter Justin Chapple is a chef, recipe developer, food writer, video host, and cookbook author. In addition, he is the culinary director-at-large of Food & Wine and host of their video series, Mad Genius Tips, for which he was nominated twice for a prestigious James Bead Award. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on March 26, 2018 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email This silky cheesecake gets sweetness and tang from a blend of cream cheese and sour cream. Matzo meal and ground almonds replace the usual graham crackers in the crust for a nutty, toasty crunch. Topped with sugary strawberries and toasted almond slivers, this cake makes a beautiful centerpiece at any table. Photo: Abby Hocking Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 4 hrs Yield: 1 9-inch cheesecake Ingredients CRUST: 1 cup sliced blanched almonds 3 matzo crackers, or 2/3 cup matzo meal 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 cup granulated sugar 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more softened for greasing CHEESECAKE: 20 ounces cream cheese (from 2 1/2- 8-ounce packages) 3/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 cup sour cream 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 3 large eggs Hot water 1 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered Directions Make the crust Preheat the oven to 350°. Wrap a 9-inch springform pan with foil and lightly grease with butter. On a large rimmed baking sheet, spread the sliced almonds in a single layer and toast in the oven until fragrant and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes. In a food processor, pulse 3/4 cup of the toasted almonds with the matzo, salt, and sugar until finely ground. Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl and stir in the butter. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and halfway up the side of the prepared pan. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the crust is set and slightly darker. Let cool completely on a rack. Make the cheesecake Reduce the oven temperature to 300°. In a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese with 3/4 cup of the sugar and the salt at medium-low speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the sour cream and almond extract until incorporated. Beat in the eggs one at a time; scrape down the side of the bowl after each addition. Scrape the cheesecake batter into the pan and place the pan in the center of a large roasting pan. Place the roasting pan in the oven, and carefully pour in enough hot water until it reaches halfway up the side of the pan. Bake the cheesecake, until it is set around the edge and slightly jiggly in the center, 60 to 70 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake stand in the cooling oven for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and discard the foil. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool room temperature for 1 hour. Run a sharp, thin-bladed knife around the cake and remove the ring. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until chilled and firm. In a medium bowl, toss the strawberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and let sit until juicy. Garnish the cheesecake with strawberries and remaining 1/4 cup of toasted sliced almonds. Rate it Print