Ambrosia Cheesecake
Posted by: macklinda Mon, 14 Jun 2004, at 1:25 p.m.
 

1 1/2 cups Flaked coconut
1/4 cup Chopped almonds
2 tablespoons Butter, melted
24 ounces Cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 cup All-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Grated orange peel
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/2 cup Apricot nectar
1/2 cup Cream of coconut
4 Large eggs
8 ounces Crushed pineapple, drained
Sliced assorted fruits
2 teaspoons Shortening, melted
1/4 cup Semisweet-chocolate pieces, melted
1/4 cup White-chocolate pieces, melted

Suggested fruits: bananas, seedless green and red grapes, kiwifruit, canned mandarin-orange slices, strawberries, etc.)

Day before serving: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, combine coconut, almonds and butter; mix well. Press mixture into bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool.

In large bowl of electric mixer, at high speed, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, orange peel and vanilla until fluffy. Beat in apricot nectar and cream of coconut. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until blended. Stir in pineapple; pour into prepared crust. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until set. Cool in pan on wire rack; refrigerate overnight.

Just before serving, arrange fruit over top of cake. Stir one teaspoon melted shortening into each of melted semisweet and white chocolates until blended. Place each mixture in a separate small pastry bag fitted with small plain tip; pipe over fruit.