***CRUST*** 3/4 cup slivered almonds -- toasted

7 graham crackers -- broken

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons butter -- chilled

--cut in pieces ***FILLING*** 16 ounces cream cheese -- at room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

9 ounces white chocolate -- melted

--cooled to lukewarm 3 eggs -- extra-large

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 teaspoon light rum

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch salt 1 1/2 cups Lime Curd

3 egg whites -- extra-large

--at room temperature 1 recipe White Chocolate Whipped Cream

1 ounce white chocolate -- grated

For crust: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325?. Lightly butter 9 -inch diameter springform pan. Finely chop almonds with crackers and sugar in p rocessor. Add butter and process until crumbs begin to stick together. Press cr umbs into bottom and 2 inches up sides of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool o n rack. Maintain oven temperature.

For filling: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Add white chocolate and beat just until bl ended. Beat in eggs, then cream, rum, vanilla and salt. Spread half of filling evenly over crust. Bake until barely set, about 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on r ack. Maintain oven temperature.

Mix 1 1/2 c. Lime Curd with 3 egg whites in small bowl (refrigerate remaining c urd for decoration). Starting at the outer edge, carefully spoon lime curd mixt ure over cheese filling, covering completely. Bake 20 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool 5 minutes.

Starting at outer edge, carefully spoon remaining cheese filling over curd, cov ering completely. Bake cheesecake until edges are set and center moves only sli ghtly when shaken, about 25 minutes. Cool completely on rack. Cover and refrige rate at least 24 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead.)

Run small shar knife around pan sides to loosen. Release pan sides. Transfer ch eesecake to platter. Spoon White Chocolate Whipped Cream into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe rosettes of cream over cheesecake, spacing 1/2 inch apart and leaving 1/2-inch border at edge. Spoon remaining Lime Curd into pastr y bag fitted with small star tip. Pipe Lime Curd rosettes between cream rosette s and around the outer edge of the cheesecake. Sprinkle grated white chocolate over Lime Curd around the outer edges, if desired. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahe ad; refrigerate.)