Boozy Irish Cheesecake

Baileys Cheesecake with Jameson Caramel and Baileys Ganache
Recipe adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen and Richard at Baking Arts

It's St. Patrick's Day!  And nothing celebrates this holiday better than Baileys and Jameson.  I have had the idea for this cheesecake for over a year now.  I attempted to make it for last St. Patrick's Day, but I was also heading to Disneyland so I didn't have enough time to mess with it and my first shot at it was a disaster.  So this year, I gave it another go and, man, it is AMAZING!  

This is pretty much the first good cheesecake I have made and I am super proud of it!  It is a chocolate graham cracker crust with a chocolate Baileys Irish Cream cake, drizzled with both Baileys ganache and Jameson caramel.  It's super rich, but the perfect thing to celebrate your St. Patty's Day!

Sorry for a short post, but I wanted to get the recipe up in time to celebrate!
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Note: This cheesecake takes a long time to make.  You may want to bake the cake the night before and finish layering the caramel and ganache the next day.

[ INGREDIENTS ]
Baileys Cheesecake
1 ½ cups crushed chocolate cookies (I used the organic teddy graham cookies from Whole Foods)
1 ½ cup granulated sugar, divided
4 ½ tablespoons butter, melted
24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups cocoa powder
3 tablespoons flour
3 eggs
1/2 cup Baileys Irish Cream
1/2 cup sour cream at room temperature
Boiling water (for the water bath)

Jameson Caramel
2/3 cups granulated sugar 
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 ounces unsalted butter
1 ¼ ounces of Jameson Whiskey

Baileys Ganache
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream


[ DIRECTIONS ]

Baileys Cheesecake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Wrap the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan well using aluminum foil and bush the inside of the pan with 1/2 tablespoon of the melted butter.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the crushed cookies, 1/4 cup of sugar, and remaining butter.
4. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the springform pan.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven, and let cool. Turn up oven to 450 degrees F.
6. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, the remaining sugar, and salt.
7. Add the flour and cocoa powder and mix on medium speed until well combined.
8. Add eggs one at a time, beat well after each addition.  Scrape down bowl as necessary.
9. Beat in the Baileys Irish Cream and sour cream until the mixture is smooth.
10. Pour the cheesecake batter over the baked cookie crust.
11. Place the springform pan in a roasting pan and place in the oven.
12. Pour boiling water into the pan and close the oven.
13. Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes.  
14. Reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees F and bake for 1 hour.
15. Remove from oven and let cool in the water bath for about 45 minutes
16. Carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath and remove the aluminum foil.
17. Cool completely in the refrigerator for at least several hours.  I cooled mine overnight.

Baileys Ganache

1. Heat heavy whipping cream in a medium saucepan until simmering.
2. In a heatproof bowl, pour the simmering cream over the chopped chocolate and let stand for 1 minute.
3. Using a rubber spatula, stir from the center outward until smooth.
4. Add Baileys Irish Cream and stir until smooth.
5. Let cool slightly.

Jameson Caramel

1. In a small saucepan, caramelize the sugar over medium heat, stirring, until it turns a deep amber and smokes slightly
2. Carefully add the heavy whipping cream to 3 additions, stirring well after each.  Be careful of the steam.
3. Add the Jameson, salt, and butter and stir to combine. 
4. Cool to 88 degrees F before using.

Put it all together

1. After the cheesecake has cooled completely in the refrigerator, use a piping bag to drizzle the caramel and ganache on top of the cheesecake.
2. Enjoy with you glass of Guinness!  Cheers!