Luck O The Irish Cheesecake Recipe 445

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Combine nuts, 2 Tbsp. sugar and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 min.
• Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and flour in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add sour cream and liqueur; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended.
• Pour cream cheese batter over crust. Bake 1 hour 5 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hours.

Steps:

• Combine cookie crumbs and butter; press onto the bottom of a greased 9-inch springform pan. In a bowl, beat cream cheese, milk, extract and food coloring until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Pour onto crust. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 300°F for 1 hour or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes; run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Trace a small shamrock pattern onto a piece of paper; cut out and set aside. In a microwave, melt remaining chocolate chips. Fill plastic bag with melted chocolate; cut a small hole in a corner of the bag. Place shamrock pattern on a baking sheet; place a large piece of waxed paper over pattern. Pipe a chocolate shamrock onto waxed paper, following the pattern. Move waxed paper and repeat to make several more shamrocks. Place in the freezer until hardened, about 4 minutes. Carefully remove shamrocks and arrange on cheesecake.

Steps:

• Mix together cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press this crumb mixture into bottom of 9 inch springform pan with 2 3/4 inch high sides. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees) until brown - about 8 minutes. Transfer crust to rack and cool. Maintain oven temperature.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla in large bowl until blended. Beat in 1 cup sour cream and liqueur. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until combined. Pour filling over crust in pan. Bake until edges are puffed, and center no longer moves when pan is shaken, about 1 to 1/2 hours. Transfer cheesecake to rack, and cool 10 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
• Mix 1 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl until smooth. Press down edges of cheesecake, and spread mixture on top. Bake 10 minutes. Transfer cheesecake to rack and cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Release pan from cheesecake. Cut and serve.