Baileys Cheesecake for PC

Back in my college days, I managed a small Mediterranean restaurant near campus. It was both a place for the local neighborhood to grab a quick bite to eat and for college kids to hang out and pretend to study while sipping cappuccinos.

And since I worked a lot, and free food was a perk of the job, I pretty much lived on hummus and pita bread for over 4 years.

There was a super friendly older couple that were weekly regulars. Every week, they’d split a tawook dinner with extra steamed veggies. The husband would finish his meal with a piece of cheesecake, and the wife would order Baileys and coffee with just a smidgen of whipped cream and chocolate sauce (similar to an Irish coffee cocktail).

It’s funny the things I remember from more than 15 years ago. The names of any of my undergrad professors? Not a chance. But a meal a couple ordered every week? Yep, right down to the extra veggies.

Now, I’ve never been much of a drinker, but I developed quite an affinity for Baileys and coffee with just a smidgen of whipped cream and chocolate sauce. It’s just one of those drinks that reminds me of being in my 20s, and makes me all warm and fuzzy for so many reasons.

A few weeks ago, I picked up a bottle of Baileys Irish Cream to make Simple Homemade Truffles…and perhaps whip up a Baileys and coffee or two. And then on a whim one night, I decided to try making a Baileys Cheesecake.
While this Baileys cheesecake would be the perfect cherry on top to your St. Patrick's Day celebration, this fudgy cheesecake deserves to be devoured all year long. Here at Delish, we believe Baileys shouldn't be something you break out only for the holidays. It goes way beyond cocktails—we firmly believe it's one of the best liqueurs to use in dessert. Need proof? Check out one of our many Baileys-infused dessert recipes. If you really need convincing, this creamy, fudgy, ganache-topped cheesecake will make you a believer after just one bite.

What's in a Baileys cheesecake:
— The crust. We used an Oreo crust in this recipe to really amp up the chocolate factor. The best part of using an Oreo crust? The cream helps bind it together, so you don't need to use too much butter. A food processor works best for grinding up the cookies, but if you don't have one try to get the cookies as fine as possible.
— The Irish cream filling. This classic filling is made even MORE creamy and decadent with the addition of Baileys. The result isn't overpowering—it gives a subtle (but noticeable) flavor that still sets it apart from your classic basic cheesecake. Tip: Instead of Baileys, use our homemade Irish cream instead!
— The ganache. Our finished cheesecake is topped with a fudgy, classic ganache that we just can't get enough of. While you can serve this cheesecake without it, the rich chocolate ganache really ties all of our flavors together.

Top tips for Baileys cheesecake:
— Don't stress—cracks are inevitable. Since we're adding so much liquid (and liquid is the enemy of perfect cheesecake), we've added a bit of cornstarch to prevent cracking. You're welcome to leave it out, but word to the wise: Even if you're using a water bath, this much liquid is likely to cause cracks. This certainly won't affect the flavor, and since you're covering the whole thing in ganache, it won't affect the presentation too much, either.
— All about the ganache. We like using semisweet chocolate chips for this recipe, but milk or dark chocolate chips would make a fine substitute. If you don't have chips lying around, you can also use chocolate bars—they'll melt better for your ganache anyways! Just chop up your bars into chocolate chip–size pieces and place in a heatproof bowl.
— Need more Baileys? Try replacing just a bit of the cream with Baileys in the ganache to really drive the flavor home.

Looking for a potluck-friendly version? Check out these mini Baileys cheesecakes, which are just as delicious and perfectly portable.