Crust
2/3 cup finely chopped almonds
1 1/4 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers
1/4 cup melted butter
Filling
24 ounces softened cream cheese
8 ounces melted bittersweet chocolate
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup Amaretto
dash of salt
Crust
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 inch springform pan. Place almonds a baking sheet and toast for 3-4 minutes. Allow to cool. Place toasted almonds in a food processor and process till finely ground. Combine wafer crumbs, ground almonds and butter and mix well. Press mixture onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides of prepared pan. Bake 8 minutes. Place on rack and let cool completely.
Filling
Beat cream cheese just till smooth. Gradually add sugar and continue beating till smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually stir in sour cream, Amaretto and salt. Divide batter in half. Add melted chocolate to one half, stirring till smooth. Pour chocolate batter into crust and spread evenly. Carefully spoon plain batter on top of chocolate batter. Place pan in oven and immediately reduce temperature to 325°F. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes till sides are set and center still jiggles when pan is gently tapped. Loosen cake from pan sides. Turn off oven, and leave cake inside for 30 minutes with the oven door closed. Transfer cheesecake to rack. Let cheesecake cool completely, then chill at least 8 hours or overnight.