Orange Mascarpone Cheesecake

Crust:
2/3 c almonds
1 TBS sugar
2 TBS melted butter
1 sleeve (about 2/3 c graham crackers)

Cake:
16 oz mascarpone cheese (room temperature)
16 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
1 c sugar
1 tsp orange extract
1 TBS fresh orange zest
1 tsp orange juice
4 large eggs (room temperature)

(To turn this into a standard cheesecake, simply use vanilla extract and lemon juice instead of orange. Experiment with different types of extracts like almond or peppermint too!)

Wrap a 9 inch spring form pan in aluminum foil and preheat the oven to 350.

In a food processor, grind the almonds, crackers and sugar into fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and continue to grind until the butter is well incorporated. Pour the crumbs into the spring form pan and press across the bottom and 1 inch up the sides. Bake the crust for 13 to 15 minutes. Cool.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325.
In a stand mixer, cream the mascarpone, cream cheese and sugar together, scraping down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl. Add the extract, zest and juice and continue to mix until well incorporated. Add the eggs, one at a time mixing until the yellows just disappear. Scrape down the bowl one more time and mix for a few seconds more.
Pour the mixture into the cooled crust and place it in a large roasting pan on a rack in the middle of the oven. Fill the roasting pan with boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the spring form pan. (This water bath helps ensure even heat distribution)
Bake for 1 hour, 10 minutes. The cake will still move slightly in the middle but will become firm as it cools. Remove the cake from the water bath and cool for 1 hour at room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
Top with additional orange zest when serving.