Hazelnut Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs

1/2 cup ground hazelnuts, toasted

1/4 cup butter, melted

4 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

3 Tbsp hazelnut liqueur

1/3 cup ground hazelnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix together crumbs, hazelnuts and butter; press onto bottom of 9 inch springform pan or 13x9 inch baking pan. Bake 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.
Mix cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in sour cream and liqueur; stir in hazelnuts. Pour over crust.
Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees; continue baking 1 hour.
Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan. Chill.
Garnish with shipped cream and hazelnuts, if desired.

10 - 12 servings