St. Patrick's Day Recipes: Irish Cheesecake Bites

Makes 10-12 Individual Mini Cheesecakes

Preparation: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pan wells with cupcake liner.
Jameson Oreo Cookie Crust

• 12 oreos
• 3 tablespoons Jameson Whiskey

Instructions:
Place Oreos in a food processor and pulse in three-four 2-second bursts. Pour Jameson whiskey in and pulse two more time to combine. Alternatively, place Oreos in a Ziploc and using a rolling pin or meat tenderizer, crush cookies and mix in Jameson whiskey. Measure out 1 tablespoon of Oreo crumb into each well and, using the bottom of a glass, firmly press Oreo crumbs down.
Cheesecake

• 2 ½ blocks (20 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup Bailey’s Irish Cream
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup of dark chocolate
• ¼ cup Guinness

Instructions:
1. Add cream cheese and sugar in a bowl and beat until mixture is smooth. Add eggs in one at a time and beat on low after each addition until combined. Add vanilla and beat until combined. Add heavy cream and beat until combined.
2. Place two thirds of cream cheese batter in one bowl and add Bailey’s Irish Cream into it. Use a sturdy spatula or a wooden spoon to stir until combined.
3. Add chocolate and heavy cream into a bowl. Place bowl in the microwave and use 30-second intervals to melt mixture.  Make sure to stir the mixture in between each interval until chocolate is melted and combined with heavy cream. Alternatively, place the bowl over (not on) simmering water and heat until mixture is melted and combined.
4. Allow melted chocolate mixture to cool for five minutes before adding it into the remaining cheesecake batter. Once added, stir until combined and then add Guinness and stir until combined.
Assembly:
1. Pour chocolate Guinness cheesecake mixture in first then pour Bailey cheesecake mixture on top. Using a skewer or the tip of a knife, stir mixture to create a swirling effect.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-40 minutes. Let cheesecakes cool on oven rack with oven door open for an hour. Finished cheesecake will have a slightly sunken center.

Source: Endless Simmer
http://www.endlesssimmer.com/2011/03/15/101st-guinness-recipe-irich-cheesecake-bombs/

St. Patrick's Day Recipes: Irish Jell-O Shots

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. Guinness Stout beer, divided use
• 5 envelopes of Knox gelatin, divided use
• 3oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 3oz. Jameson Irish Whiskey

Instructions:

1. Lightly mold with non-stick spray and then gently wipe away any excess. Only a very small amount is needed.
2. Pour 12 oz. of Guinness into a shallow dish, making sure to pour gently to cause as little head as possible, then sprinkle 4 envelopes of gelatin on top. Set aside and allow gelatin to bloom for two minutes.
3. Transfer mixture to the saucepan and heat over lowest setting until gelatin bloom melts and no lumps are visible, mixture will resemble syrup. Transfer mixture to a heat proof bowl and combine with remaining Guinness . To layer the Jell-o shot, split Guinness mixture in half. Using one half pour mixture into form a quarter of the way up.
4. Chill for 5-10 minutes until solidified.
5. In the meantime, pour Baileys and whiskey into a bowl and sprinkle remaining envelope of gelatin on top. Set aside for gelatin to bloom for two minutes.
6.  Transfer Bailey’s-whiskey mixture to a saucepan and heat over lowest setting. Drop one to two ice cubes into mixture to cool. Pour mixture on top of Guinness layer and chill for 5-10 minutes.
7. Pour remaining half of Guinness mixture on top of Bailey’s and whiskey layer.
8. To remove, press finger into center of Jell-o shot and using an offset spatula or butter knife gently pop out Jell-o shot.

Notes:

1.  To prevent the mixtures from solidifying while waiting for layers, gently stir mixture every now and again.
2. Shots can be made 1 day in advance.

Source: Endless Simmer
http://www.endlesssimmer.com/2012/03/02/booze-bites-irish-car-bomb-jell-o-shots/

St. Patrick's Day Recipes: Irish Brownie Bombs

Yields one 9×13 pan
Preparation: Line pan with foil so there is at least a one inch overhang on all sides. Coat foil with with bake spray.  Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
Brownie
·    2 cups all-purpose flour
·    3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
·    1 teaspoon baking soda
·    1/2 teaspoon salt
·    2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
·    2 cups granulated sugar
·    2 large eggs
·    1 tablespoon vanilla extract
·    ½ cup plus 2 tablespooons of Guinness Extra Stout
·    4 tablespoons Jameson Whiskey
Instructions:
1.    Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl; set aside. Add butter and granulated sugar in a bowl and cream until smooth. Add eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low; add half of flour mixture, beat to combine. Add ¼ Guinness, fold to combine.
2.    At this point, turn off mixer and use a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula to finish mixing batter. Add remaining flour mixture, fold to combine. Add remaining Guiness and beat to combine.
3.    Measure out 1 cup of dough and fold in Jameson whiskey; cover and refrigerate. Pour remaining batter into prepared dish. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Bake until base is set and edges are puffed, about 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

Cheesecake Layer
·    1 large egg
·    1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
·    12 ounces cream cheese, softened
·    1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
·    ¼ cup Bailey’s
Instructions:
1. Add all ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.
Assembly
1. Pour mixture over cooled base. Place divided dough in a pastry bag and pipe three clovers ½ inch apart. Bake until filling is set, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in dish on wire rack, then lift out using overhang. Cut into 24 squares. Squares will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

Source: Endless Simmer
http://www.endlesssimmer.com/2011/03/09/a-dessert-for-st-patrick-irish-brownie-bombs/

St. Patrick's Day Recipes: Bailey's and Coffee Cupcakes

Yield: 15 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder + additional espresso powder for dusting
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup Baileys Irish Cream
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs

Frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prep 15 standard 1/2-cup-size muffin cups with liners.
2. In a small bowl or mug, pour the boiling water over the espresso powder, stir, and let cool.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add the Baileys to the water and espresso.
5. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and the granulated sugar and brown sugar with a mixer on medium speed, until light yellow and fluffy, about three minutes.
6. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
7. Add the flour in thirds, alternating with the espresso-Baileys mixture. Continue beating until well combined.
8. Fill the fifteen muffin cups about three-quarters full.
9. Bake for about 20 – 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
10. Remove from oven, let cool for about five minutes, then remove the cupcakes to wire racks to cool completely.
11. Make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl if you’re using a hand mixer), pour in the whipping cream (the colder the whipping cream and the bowl, the better for whipping). Beat at low speed until the whipping cream begins to thicken. Add the Baileys and the powdered sugar, then turn the mixer to high and beat until the whipping cream thickens enough to form semi-stiff peaks.
12. Spread the whipped cream onto the cupcakes with a knife, or you can spoon it into a pastry bag fitted with the tip of your choice or even a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off, then squeeze the icing onto the cupcakes.
13. Sprinkle a bit of espresso powder on top of each cupcake.
14. And enjoy!

Source: The Hazel Bloom
http://www.thehazelbloom.com/2012/02/baileys-coffee-cupcakes/