Uncle Bill's Blueberry Cream Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup almonds, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 cups fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries

FILLING

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 2 cups sour cream
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

BLUEBERRY SAUCE

• 1 cup fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. 2

   In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, finely chopped almonds, 1/4 cup sugar and baking powder.

3. 3

   Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.

4. 4

   In a separate bowl, beat together egg, vanilla and almond extract.

5. 5

   Drizzle egg mixture over crumbly flour mixture and mix until egg mixture is just incorporated and the mixture is still crumbly.

6. 6

   Press mixture evenly over the bottom of an 11" x 1 1/2" spring form pan.

7. 7

   Bake in preheated 350 F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until surface is no longer shiny.

8. 8

   Remove from oven and let cool.

9. 9

   Spoon 3 cups of blueberries evenly over baked base.

10. 10

    Sprinkle remainder of 1/4 cup of sugar over the blueberries.

11. 11

    FILLING: In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, sour cream, 3/4 cup of sugar, eggs and lemon juice and mix until smooth.

12. 12

    Pour cream cheese mixture over blueberries.

13. 13

    Bake in preheated 350 F oven for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until center of cake is barely firm to the touch.

14. 14

    Remove cake form oven and immediately run a knife around inside of rim to loosen cake.

15. 15

    Let cool.

16. 16

    Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

17. 17

    SAUCE: Puree' 1 cup of blueberries in a blender.

18. 18

    In a small saucepan, combine blueberry puree' and sugar and cook over medium-high heat just long enough to dissolve sugar, about 3 to 4 minutes.

19. 19

    Add lemon juice, mix well and let cool.

20. 20

    TO SERVE: Remove sides from spring form pan.

21. 21

    Cut cheesecake into wedge slices.

22. 22

    Pour some blueberry sauce on each serving plate.

23. 23

    Place a piece of cheesecake in pool of sauce, then spoon more sauce over cheesecake.

24. 24

    If using frozen blueberries, make sure they are thawed, drained and patted dry with paper toweling.