Irish Cream Cheesecake

Homemade graham cracker crust topped with chocolate chips and cheesecake filling prepared from cream cheese, sugar, eggs, Irish cream and vanilla. Cheesecake is baked, chilled overnight and topped with mixture of whipped heavy cream, sugar, and coffee.

Ingredients -

Crust:
2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/4 cup Sugar
6 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted

Filling:
4 (8 ounces each) packages Cream Cheese
1 1/4 cups Sugar
4 Eggs
3/4 cup Irish Cream Liqueur
2 teaspoons Vanilla
2/3 cup Mini Chocolate Chips

Topping:
1 cup Heavy Cream
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Instant Coffee Powder

Preparation:

Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Coat a 9-inch round springform pan with cooking spray.

3. In a bowl, mix together crumbs, sugar and butter.

4. Pat into bottom and up sides of pan. Bake 7 min. Let cool.

Filling:

1. In a bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth, mix in sugar. Beat in eggs. Beat in Irish cream and vanilla.

2. Sprinkle half the chocolate chips over crust. Pour filling into the pan, sprinkle remaining chips on top.

3. Bake 1 hour 20 min. or until set. Remove from oven. Leave in pan, let cool.

4. Cover and refrigerate in pan overnight.

Topping:

1. In a bowl, stir together cream, sugar and coffee. Beat until stiff peaks form.

2. Release side of pan and remove from cake. Spread topping over cake.

Cheesecake Making Tips -

Bring to Room Temperature before Serving

Cheesecake should be stored in the refrigerator after baking. Set on rack for an hour before loosely wrapping and placing the cheesecake in the refrigerator. Remove cheesecake from refrigerator about a half hour before serving and bring to room temperature.

Cheesecake Making Tips -

Storing Cream Cheese

Cream cheese will store for several weeks if unopened. Once open, the remaining cheese should be used within a week. Throw away cream cheese that has developed any mold on the surface.