Bailey's Irish Cream Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups Graham cracker crumbs
• 2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 1/4 pounds (36 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 5 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
• 1 to 2 ounces semisweet chocolate

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan with softened butter.
2. Using a fork, combine Graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup of the sugar and melted butter in a medium bowl until well blended. Then evenly press crumb mixture onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of buttered pan.
3. Beat cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth.
4. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and beat until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, making sure to scrape sides after each addition. Beat until well incorporated and very smooth.
6. Beat in vanilla extract and Bailey's Irish Cream until well mixed.
7. Pour into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is the consistency of set gelatin.
8. Remove cake from oven and let cool on a wire rack away from drafts.
9. When cool, remove springform and refrigerate until ready to serve.
10. When ready to serve, whip heavy cream with confectioners' sugar and garnish top of cake with whipped cream rosettes. Shave chocolate over top.