Ambrosia Cheesecake

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 1/2 cups almond shortbread cookies, crumbs (about 12 cookies)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter or 3 tablespoons margarine, melted
• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 (14 ounce) package sweetened flaked coconut
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups fresh orange curd
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted (optional)

Recipe

• 1 stir together first 3 ingredients; press mixture into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan.
• 2 bake at 350° for 8 minutes. cool.
• 3 beat cream cheese, eggs, and 1 cup sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. stir in 14-ounce package coconut and vanilla. pour into prepared crust.
• 4 bake at 350° for 1 hour. cool completely on a wire rack.
• 5 cover and chill 8 hours. release sides of springform pan, and place cheesecake on serving platter or cake stand. spread fresh orange curd evenly over top of cheesecake. sprinkle 1 cup toasted coconut around outer edge of top, if desired. arrange decorated pastry strips on sides of cheesecake, if desired. garnish top of cake, if desired.