Recipe - Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake

* * Crust * *
10 Whole graham crackers,
broken into pieces
1 One fourth cup Pecans (about 5 ounces)
One fourth cup Sugar
6 tablespoon Unsalted butter, melted
* * Filling * *
1 One half pound Cream cheese, room temp.
Three fourths cup Sugar
3 Large eggs
1/3 cup Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
3 ounce Imported white chocolate
(such as Lindt), broken
into pieces
* * Topping * *
1 One half cup Sour cream
One fourth cup Powdered sugar
1 One half ounce Imported white chocolate,
24 Grated pecan halves

For crust: Preheat oven to 325=F8F. Lightly butter 9inch diameter
springform pan with 2 3/4inchhigh sides. 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.

For filling: Using electric 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 chocolate in processor using on/off turns. Add to cream cheese
mixture.

Transfer filling to crustlined pan. Bake until edges of filling are
puffed and dry looking and center is just set, about 50 minutes. Cool on
rack.

For topping: Mix sour cream and powdered sugar in small bowl. Spread
topping onto cooled cake. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 6 hours.
(Can be prepared 1 day ahead.)

Sprinkle grated chocolate over cake. Place pecans around edge and serve.

Note: I've fixed the cake with and without the topping, and I prefer it
without the topping. As a suggestion, prepare the topping, but serve it on
the side.

Reposted by Lois Flack, Watertown, NY
Posted to MMRecipes Digest V4 #299 by "Fred Goslin"
fjgoslin@northnet.org on Nov 18, 1997