Thin Raspberry Vanilla Cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1 3/4 cups Graham cracker crumbs (about 12 whole Graham crackers)
• 1 1/4 cups Hazelnuts (about 5 ounces)
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

• 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 12 ounces fresh raspberries
• 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:

To make crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Finely grind graham crackers, hazelnuts, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add butter and process until moist crumbs form.
Put the crumbs in a 10-inch pie pan and press in an even layer on the bottom. Bake in the oven until dark golden brown and firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Leave the oven on.

To make filling:
Add heavy cream into heavy small saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla beans and add to heavy cream. Bring to boil. Cool completely and discard beans.

Using electric mixer, blend cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Add vanilla cream mixture and continue mixing. Add egg, one at a time, beat until well blended.

In a separate bowl, mix in fresh raspberries and corn starch. Pour 2/3 of the filling into the crust. Sprinkle the berries over, pour the remaining filling over the berries to cover. Bake until the cake is golden and firm around the edges, but still wiggly in the middle when gently shaken, about 60 minutes. Cool down for 10 minutes. Keep in the refrigerator overnight. Drizzle with raspberry syrup, or sprinkle powdered sugar on top, if desired.