Fudgenut And Rum Marinated Raisin Cheesecake

CRUST: 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

6 tablespoons melted butter

FILLING: 2 1/4 pounds cream cheese -- room temperature

3 ounces semisweet chocolate -- melted

1/4 cup sugar -- sifted

5 eggs

2/3 cup broken mixed nuts -- unsalted

1/3 cup hazelnut liqueur

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/2 cup raisins

1/3 cup whole mixed nuts

1/4 cup dark rum

CRUST: Melt butter. Mix crumbs and sugar, add butter to crumb mixture and mix thoroughly. Coat springform pan with non-stick spray or cold butter. Add crumb-butter mixture to springform pan and distribute evenly. Press down firmly, using a flat surface tool (such as the bottom of a glass). Bake for 10 minutes at 350. Let rest for 30 minutes.

FILLING: Mix raisins and dark rum in a pot. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to rest and absorb the rum. Place cream cheese in mixing bowl, mix at low speed for one minute. Add sugar in steady stream while mixer is on at low speed. Stop mixer, scrape sides of mixing bowl with a spatula. Turn on again, add eggs slowly to cream cheese mixture, in five equal amounts. Stop-scrape-turn on. Add hazelnut liqueur and vanilla (stop-scrape-turn on). Add melted chocolate. Continue to mix until fully incorporated (stop-scrape-turn on). Stop mixer. Pour half of filling through a sieve into the springform pan. NOTE: The mixture will be thick but will pour easily, similar to thick paint. Sprinkle half of the raisins and half of the broken mixed nuts evenly over the bottom half of the filling. Spoon in the second half of the filling over the first half. Sprinkle the remaining raisins and broken mixed nuts over the top half of the filling. Push them down gently as to be covered by the filling, but close to the top. Place the whole nuts in any decorative fashion on top. Wrap the outside of the springform tightly with Saran Wrap. Repeat with foil. Bake in water bath at 350 degrees for one hour. Check if done by gently shaking the cheesecake to see if the center is wobly. Gently and carefully touch the edges and the center to compare doneness. You may need to cook an additional 30 minutes, depending on your oven. When done, remove foil and Saran Wrap, and run a hot-moist knife around the edges. Let rest for 4 hours at room temperature on a cooling rack. Refrigerate overnight uncovered..Serve with whipped cream and a strawberry if you wish.