BAILEY'S IRISH CREAM CHEESECAKE

BAILEY'S IRISH CREAM CHEESECAKE image

Yield 8 People

Number Of Ingredients 17

Crust:
10 whole graham crackers, broken into pieces
1 1/4 cup pecans(5 oz)
1/4 cup sugar
6 T. unsalted butter
Filling:
1 1/2 pound cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/3 cup Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur
1 t. vanilla extract
3 ounces imported white choclate (such as Lindt)
Topping:
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 ounces imported white choclate, grated
24 pecan halves

Steps:

For Crust: Preheat oven to 325. lightly butter 9 inch springform pan. Finely grind graham crackers, pecans and sugar in processor. Add butter and blend, using on/off turns. Press crumbs onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of prepared pan. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Filling: Using mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. whisk eggs, baileys and vanilla in medium bowl until just blended. Beat egg mixture into cream cheese mixture. Finely chop white choclate in processer. Add to cream cheese mixture. Tranfer filling to crust lined pan. Bake until edges of filling are puffed and dry looking and center is just set, about 50 minutes. Cool on rack. Topping: Mix sour cream and powdered sugar in small bowl. Spread topping onto cooled cake. Referigerate until well chilled, about 6 hours. (can be prepared 1 day ahead) Sprinkle grated choclate over cake. Place pecans around edge and serve.