Ingredients:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons sugar
4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup irish cream ( Bailey’s Irish Cream)
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sour cream, divided
3 tablespoons strawberry preserves
strawberries ( whole or sliced)
Directions:
In a bowl, stir the first 3 ingredients together; press mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan.
Bake at 325F for 10 minutes; cool on a wire rack; decrease oven temperature to 300F.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and flour until mixture is smooth–use an electric mixer on medium speed.
Gradually add in the vanilla and Irish cream, beating just until blended.
Add in eggs, 1 at a time, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition.
Add in 3/4 cup sour cream, beating just until blended.
Pour half the batter into prepared crust; dollop strawberry preserves over batter; gently swirl batter with a knife to create a marbled effect; top with remaining batter.
Bake at 300F for 55 minutes or until edges of cheesecake are set (center of cheesecake will not appear set).
Turn oven off; let cheesecake stand in oven 15 minutes; remove cheesecake from oven; gently run a knife around the edge of cheesecake to loosen.
Cool completely on a wire rack; cover and chill 8 hours.
Release and remove sides of pan; spread remaining 1/2 cup sour cream evenly over top of cheesecake (optional)– I don’t like the taste of unadorned sour cream so I would leave this off.
Garnish with whole strawberries.
Servings: 10-12
Time preparation: 30 min.
Time total: 95 min.