IRISH CREAM CHOCOLATE MINT CHEESECAKE

Here is the perfect dessert for St. Patrick's Day Dinner...incorporating chocolate, Irish cream liqueur and cream cheese. Could it get any more decadent and delicious?

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups chocolate wafer crumbs
• 2 T. butter, melted
• 2 T. sugar
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 lbs. cream cheese, softened
• 1¼ cups sugar
• 4 T. flour
• 4 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 cup sour cream
• ¼ cup Irish cream liqueur
• 1 tsp. mint extract
• ½ cup green mint chips (I recommend Guittard)

Combine the chocolate wafer crumbs, melted butter and sugar in a medium bowl.

Press mixture onto the bottom of a 10” diameter spring form pan. Chill while making filling.

In a metal or glass bowl over simmering water (to form a double boiler), melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Set aside.

In a bowl of electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and sugar. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the melted semi-sweet chocolate, flour, eggs, egg yolks, sour cream, Irish cream and mint extract. Beat on medium for another 2 minutes. Pour into prepared spring form pan. Place pan on baking sheet and bake in preheated 325o oven for 75 minutes. Turn off oven and allow the cake to rest in oven for 30 minutes. Remove cake from oven; cool to room temperature. In a small bowl over double boiler, melt the green mint chips. With a fork, drizzle the melted green mint chips over the cake. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before removing the outer ring of cake pan. (Can be made a day ahead.) Serves 10-12.