Irish Cream Cheesecake
An elegant New York style cheesecake, perfect for special occasions. You'll want seconds once you take your first bite of this rich creamy cheesecake flavored with white chocolate and Irish cream. SWOON!
Equipment
- 9 inch springform pan, with 2¾ inch high sides
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 10 whole graham crackers, broken into pieces
- 5 oz pecans, about 1¼ cups
- ¼ cup sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
- 1½ lbs cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ⅔ cup Irish cream liquer
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 oz white chocolate, such as Lindt grated
For the topping:
- 1½ cups sour cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ oz white chocolate, grated
- 16 pecan halves
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Grease springform pan.
- Place graham crackers, 5 oz pecans, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse until you have a fine mixture.
- Add melted butter and pulse to combine.
- Press crumbs into the bottom of the springform pan and 2 inches up the sides of the pan.
- Refrigerate crust for 20 minutes.
Make the filling:
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Use an electric mixer to beat together softened cream cheese and ¾ cup sugar until smooth and creamy.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, Bailey's and vanilla until blended.
- Beat egg mixture into cream cheese mixture.
- Pulse white chocolate in a food processor. Reserve 1½ oz for the topping.
- Add 3 oz. of the grated white chocolate to the cream cheese filling and stir to combine.
- Pour mixture into chilled crust.
- Bake until edges are puffed and dry looking and the center is just set, about 50 minutes.
- Cool completely on a rack.
Make the topping:
- Mix sour cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract together in a small bowl.
- Spread topping onto cooled cake.
- Refrigerate until well chilled, about 6 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.)
To serve:
- Sprinkle reserved grated white chocolate over the top and line the edge of the cheesecake with pecan halves.