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DIRECTIONS

Adjust rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter the sides only (not the bottom) of a 9-inch spring-form pan which may be 2-1/2 or 3 inches deep.
The Amaretti must be ground very fine. Place them in a food processor bowl fitted with the steel blade, or in a blender. (In a blender you may have to do them half at a time.) Process or blend until you have made fine crumbs. You should have 1-1/3 to 1-1/2 cups of crumbs. Place the crumbs in a mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar.
Place the chocolate and the butter in the top of a small double boiler over hot water on moderate heat. Stir occasionally until melted.
Add the melted chocolate and butter to the Amaretti crumbs and sugar and stir to mix thoroughly.
Turn the mixture into the prepared pan. With your fingers distribute it evenly over the bottom of the pan and then, with your fingers, press it firmly over the bottom. It must be a very firm, compact layer and should be on the bottom only, not the sides.
Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
Place the chocolate in the top of a small double boiler over hot water on moderate heat. Cover until partially melted, then uncover and stir until completely melted. Remove the top of the double boiler and set it aside, uncovered, to cool slightly.
Place the Amaretti in their tissue-paper wrappings on a cutting board. With the broad side of a heavy cleaver (or a hammer) hit each package hard enough to break the macaroons coarsely but not hard enough to tear the paper. Then unwrap the broken macaroons and place them in a bowl and set aside.
Cut the almond paste into very small pieces and place it in the small bowl of an electric mixer. While beating on low speed, very gradually add the Amaretto liqueur and beat until thoroughly mixed. Remove from the mixer and set aside.
In the large bowl of the electric mixer (you can use the same beaters again without washing them), beat the cream cheese until it is smooth. Add the sugar and beat until smooth again. Then add the almond paste Amaretto mixture and beat once again until thoroughly mixed. Add the melted chocolate and beat well once more. Set the mixer at low speed and add the eggs one at a time and beat only until they are incorporated after each addition. Add the heavy cream and beat only until smooth. (This cheesecake should not be beaten until it is light and airy.) Remove the bowl from the mixer.
Add the coarsely broken macaroons and stir together gently only to mix.
Turn into the prepared pan, pouring the mixture over the bottom crust.
Rotate the pan gently, first in one direction, then the other, to level the batter. If you have used a pan that is 2-1/2 inches deep the cheesecake mixture will come almost to the top of the pan. It is O.K.; it will not run over.
Bake for 45 minutes. It will seem soft and not done but do not bake any longer; it will become firm when it is chilled. Remove from the oven. The top of the cake will look bumpy because of the large chunks of Amaretti; it is supposed to.
Set aside and let stand at room temperature until completely cool. Then carefully remove the sides of the pan.
Refrigerate the cake, which is still on the bottom of the pan, for 4 to 6 hours or overnight.
Now the cake can be left on the bottom of the pan (in which case it should be set on a folded napkin on a cake plate to keep it from sliding when you serve it). Or it can be removed from the bottom of the pan and transferred to a cake plate or a serving board. To remove it from the pan, carefully insert a sharp, heavy, firm knife between the cake and the pan, pressing the blade firmly against the pan in order not to cut the crust. Gently rotate the knife around the pan to release the cake. Use a flat-sided cookie sheet as a spatula (or use two wide metal spatulas), slide it (or them) under the crust, carefully lift the cake and transfer it to the cake plate. Or if you want to freeze the cake (this freezes wonderfully) transfer it to a large piece of plastic wrap and wrap airtight.
This may be served as is, or topped with a pile of Chocolate Cigarettes or Chocolate Shavings .
Serve the cake refrigerated, the colder the better. Serve small portions.