No Bake Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake

 

Whether you make this for St. Patrick's Day or not, this no bake Baileys cheesecake is silky smooth and full of flavour. A sumptuous creamy cheesecake filling nestled in a dense chocolate crust, topped with a rich decadent chocolate ganache and drizzled with white chocolate is absolutely luscious and easy to make.    

No Bake Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake

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400 g (3 1/3 cups) chocolate baking crumbs

1/2 cup (1 stick/113 g) unsalted butter, melted

2 and 1/2 packages (625 g) Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese, softened 

300 ml (1 1/4 cups) heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup (50 ml) Baileys Irish Cream

2/3 cups (75 g) icing sugar

Chocolate Ganache

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150 g (5 oz) Baker's semi sweet chocolate

100 ml (1/2 cup) whipping cream 

1 tablespoon Baileys Irish Cream

Chop the chocolate and place into a medium heat proof bowl. Using a heavy bottom saucepan, add the whipping cream and Baileys Irish Cream and gently heat over low medium. When the cream mixture begins to gently boil, slowly pour over the chopped chocolate and allow the chocolate pieces to rest and melt for 1 minute. 

Gently stir together until the chocolate and cream come together and allow to cool for about 30 minutes before pouring over the top of the chilled set cheesecake.    

melted white chocolate, for decorating

Line the bottom of a 9 - inch springform pan with baking parchment. Set aside. 

In a medium bowl mix together the chocolate baking crumbs and melted butter with a fork until combine. Press into the bottom and sides of the prepared 9 inch springform pan. You may use a smooth glass or the backside of a spoon to gently push and press the crumbs up the sides. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

In a large bowl, add the cream cheese and icing sugar and using a spatula mix together until nicely smooth and creamy. Add the whipping cream and using a handheld mixer beat the mixture on medium speed until soft thick peaks form. Ensuring not over beat the cream cheese as it may not set properly. Add in the Irish Cream and beat again until the mixture becomes thick and creamy but still smooth enough to spread around easily.

Pour the cream cheese mixture into the chilled chocolate crust. Smooth out towards the edges ensuring the filling is level. Cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day and once the cheesecake has set, make the ganache, see recipe above, allow the ganache to set before decorating with melted white chocolate.

Blackberry Sauce

 

This has more to do with a voluminous berry sauce than anything else. Although lavishly spread on top of a cheesecake has its advantages. With fairly minimal effort, requiring a close eye and a certain amount of stirring, it can not only be used for topping cakes but as a filling to sandwich in-between layers of cake as well, poured over ice cream or used when making homemade ice cream to create a summery berry flavour, drizzled over your morning oatmeal or spread over toast in a jam like fashion. It seems, there is nothing this blackberry sauce can't touch or be used for. I have included the recipe for the cheesecake just in case you feel the urge to whip up something special this weekend. 

 Blackberry Sauce

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3 cups blackberries

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

Place the blackberries, lemon juice and sugar in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until it comes to a boil.

Continue to boil and stir for 10 minutes.

If you desire a thicker sauce make a slurry of the cornstarch and water and add to boiling berries and cook until thickened. 

Classic Cheesecake

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1 - 1/4 cups graham crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted

3 packages (250 g each) Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs 

Heat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

1. Mix graham crumbs and butter together; press onto bottom of a 9 - inch springform pan. 

2. Beat cream cheese and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.

3. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until centre is almost set. Run knife around the rim of pan to loosen cake; cool completely before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hours. 

Mango Coulis

A coulis is a thick sweet sauce made from fruits that have been cooked, blended and optionally strained. Making a coulis is quite simple as it is only three ingredients, fruit, sugar and lemon or lime juice; and can be used as a topping or a sauce for a variety of foods such as on yoghurt, ice cream, cakes and toast. I made a lime cheesecake and decided that a mango coulis would be the perfect tangy finish to this cheesecake's subtle citrus flavour. I had enough leftover to spoon over Greek yoghurt and the rest was happily added to a curry sauce. 

Mango Coulis

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400 to 600g mango - fresh or frozen

juice of 1 small lime or lemon

30g (1 1/2 tablespoons) caster sugar 

Cook all three ingredients on low to medium heat in a medium saucepan, for about 15 minutes or until soft. Remove from heat and allow to cool down for 5 minutes. Using an hand held (immersion) blender, blend until very smooth. You could also strain through a mesh sieve instead of blending however a hand blender saves time. 

Once smooth and blended, taste and adjust the sweetness if you wish and if  the sauce is too thick, add a teaspoon of water, at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. 

Allow to cool down then transfer to a jar or container with a tight seal. Keep in the refrigerator for a week. 

Hope everyone's week has been a good one. It's been heavily overcast with a few showers here and there although plenty of sunshine for the weekend! - JD 

Festive Pumpkin Cheesecake with Salted Caramel Sauce

 I would say this cheesecake is more seasonal than festive however festive has an undeniable cheery celebratory ring to it. Drizzling caramel sauce over top definitely completes an autumnal feel and taste in every slice.     

Festive Pumpkin Cheesecake 

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1  1/4 cups graham crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted

1  1/2 cups canned pumpkin

3 eggs

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1  1/2 teaspoons pumkin pie spice 

3 packages (250g each) Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line the bottom of a spring form pan with baking parchment paper.

Mix graham crumbs and butter together; press onto bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice.

In another large bowl beat the cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch. Blend in the pumpkin mixture. Pour over crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until centre is just set. Remove from oven, cool 5 minutes, and run a knife around rim of pan. Cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Top or drizzle with caramel sauce. 

Notes: if you do not have pumpkin pie spice then use... 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg. 

You may use whatever caramel sauce recipe you wish or a ready made one however my son, lended a hand, and made this one from a website called Sally's Baking Addiction. I have included the recipe below.   

Caramel Sauce

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1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

6 tablespoons (90g) salted butter, room temperature cut up into 6 pieces

1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream

1 teaspoon salt

Heat granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a high heat resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-coloured liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn.

Once sugar is completely melted, immediately add the butter. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added.

Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted, about 2 minutes. If you notice the butter separating or if the sugar clumped up, remove from heat and vigorously whisk to combine it again. (If you're nervous for platter, wear kitchen gloves. Keep whisking until it comes back together, even if it 3 - 4 minutes. It will eventually - just keep whisking. Return to heat when it's combined again.)

Very slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup of heavy cream while stirring. Since the heavy cream is colder than the caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble when added. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils.

Remove form heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of salt. Allow to slightly cool down before using. Caramel thicken as it cools.

Cover tightly and store for up to 1 month in the refrigerator. Caramel solidifies in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove to desired consistency.

Notes: 1/4 cup of chopped mixed nuts were added to the sauce. 

Sorry, about the late post. Have a nice weekend and enjoy the long weekend everyone! 

- JD 

Classic Cheesecake

With all the variations of cheesecake something can be said about the classic cheesecake. It's scrumptious and stands alone and from which all other flavours of cheesecake are created. Equally so, classic recipes are delightful standbys. 

Classic Cheesecake

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1 1/4 cups graham crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted

3 packages (250g each) cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

zest of 1 lemon

3 eggs

Heat oven to 350ºF.

Mix graham crumbs and butter together in a bowl; press into the bottom of a lined spring form pan.

In a large bowl beat together the cream cheese, sugar and lemon zest with a mixer until blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over the crust.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until centre is almost set. Run a knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool completely before removing rim. Once cooled, top the cheesecake with a ready made cherry filling and refrigerate cheesecake for about 4 hours. 

Have a lovely weekend and stay safe everyone! - JD 

Pear Ginger Cheesecake

This baked pear ginger cheesecake is absolutely divine. A subtle sweet pear smoothness with a slight gingery crunch crust.       

Pear Ginger Cheesecake

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1 1/4 cups crushed ginger cookies

1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

1 can pear halves, drained and patted dry

3 packages (250g each) Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese, softened

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon rum flavouring 

3 eggs

3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Heat the oven to 350ºF. Line the bottom of the spring form pan with baking parchment paper. Set aside. 

Mix the cookie crumbs and butter together; press into the bottom of the prepared spring form pan. Arrange the pear halves over the crust.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together using an electric mixer, until well blended. Add the rum flavouring and eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed after each other, until just blended. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the pears.

Bake in the preheated oven 45 to 50 minutes or until the centre is almost set. Run a knife around the rim of the pan to loosen the cake; allow to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate for 3 hours. Sprinkle the toasted almonds on top before serving.      

Notes: the recipe asked for Christie Pantry Ginger Cookies; I could not find those particular ones so I used  whatever ginger snap cookies were available instead. 

High winds made it hard to get into the garden this long weekend however what the wind brought the sunshine made up for. Hope everyone had a lovely one. - JD  

Lemon Poppy Seed Cheesecake

If you like lemon poppy seed cake, then you will thoroughly enjoy this cheesecake, as well. Tart with a creamy sweetness that pairs quite well with it's burst of lemon flavour.  

Lemon Poppy Seed Cheesecake

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1 1/4 cups graham crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted

3 pkgs. (250 grams each) Philadelphia brick cream cheese

3/4 cup of sugar

3 eggs

3 tablespoons poppy seeds

grated peel and juice from 2 lemons

whip cream, optional
1 lemon sliced, to decorate the top of the cheesecake with, if you wish  

Preheat oven to 350ºF, if using a silver 9-inch springform pan or if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan, set the oven temperature to 325ºF. 

Combine graham crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom of springform pan.

Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each addition, just until blended. Stir in the poppyseed, lemon peel and 3 to 4 tablespoons of lemon juice. Discard any remaining juice.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the centre is almost set. Run a knife or metal spatula around the rim of the pan to loosen the cake; cool before removing the rim of pan. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Garnish with lemon slices, if you wish and add a dollop of whip cream when serving. Store leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator. 

Cappuccino Cheesecake

A subtle coffee flavour with a lovely rich chocolate crust. What a perfect pair! 

Cappuccino Cheesecake

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1 1/4 cups chocolate baking crumbs

1/3 cup melted butter

3 packages (250g each) of Philadelphia cream cheese bricks, softened

3/4 cups sugar

6 tablespoons brewed strong coffee, cooled

1 teaspoon organic coffee extract

3 eggs

Heat oven to 325ºF.

Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 9 inch spring form pan. Line the bottom with baking parchment. Set aside.

Mix the chocolate baking crumbs and melted butter together. Press into the bottom of the prepared springform pan, to form a crust, and bake for 12 minutes. 

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together with a mixer, until blended. Add the coffee and coffee extract and mix well. Then add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each just until blended. Pour over the crust.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until the centre is almost set. Run a knife around the rim of the springform pan to loosen the cake; cool before removing the rim. Refrigerate the cheesecake for 4 hours. Then decorate the top with finely chopped walnuts, cocoa powder, and chocolate covered coffee beans. 

Notes: Ovens vary... I found that I had to bake the cheesecake for a bit more time then stated in the recipe.  

Hope everyone is having a good week, so far. - JD 

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

Trying to keep things simple this holiday long weekend. I already had forgone the turkey so I thought I wouldn't stray from the traditional dessert however I have. Do not let the long ingredients list discourage you; it is simple, festive and satisfying. Using the Bran Buds cereal in the crust adds a touch of fibre and the cheesecake itself was smooth, spicy with a lovely pumpkin flavour. Traditional with a twist.

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

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Crust:

1/2 cup (125ml) All Bran Buds cereal

3/4 cup (175ml) finely chopped pecans

2 tablespoons (30ml) caster sugar

2 tablespoon (30ml) all purpose flour

2 tablespoons (30ml) butter or margarine, melted

Filling:

2 packages (250grams each) of light cream cheese, softened

1 cup (250ml) caster sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoon (15ml) all purpose flour

2 teaspoons (10ml) cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon (2ml) ginger

1/2 teaspoon (2ml) nutmeg

1 can (398ml or 14oz) pumpkin

2 tablespoons (30ml) amber rum or 2 teaspoons rum extract, optional

Pre-heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC) 

In a medium bowl, mix together the cereal, pecans, sugar and four. Stir in the melted butter until mixture is crumbly. Press mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and part way up the sides of a 23cm (9inch) springform pan.

Bake for about 7 minutes or until crust is lightly brown. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 300ºF (150ºC)

Now on to the filling...

In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until very smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition just until blended in. Mix in flour and spices. Stir in pumpkin and rum. Pour into baked crust. 

Bake for about 1 and 1/2 hours. Done when almost set when jiggled. Turn oven off. With door slightly open, cool cheesecake in oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven; let cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate several hours or over night before serving. Remove outer ring and slice. Serve with whipped creme and sprinkle with a little nutmeg or a drizzle of caramel, if desired.

Notes: I lined the bottom of the springform pan with baking parchment paper. I gave the crust and extra 2 to 3 minutes. Ovens vary so you may find this too. After 1 hour, I checked to see if it had set or not and go from there, if it needed the other 1/2 hour like the recipe stated or not. I found that the cheesecake needed another 10 minutes, for my liking. Ovens vary so checking after the 1 hour mark was optimal. 

Our Thanksgiving meal was roast pork with a sweet paprika compote, seasoned mashed potatoes and pan-fried herb vegetables (carrots, parsnips, and cauliflower) with a touch of maple syrup!  

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! - JD

Food Photo of the Day ~ Cheesecake

The other day I made a surprise cheesecake for my husband and kids and it was sensational. Satisfyingly dense with a hint of orange, because I added grated orange rind to the batter, and massive dollops of cherry compote on top. Absolutely mouthwatering!  

I must say this week has been a slice, need I say more...


Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Strawberry Raspberry Cheesecake

All this week I made some form of chocolate treats. However this was going to be a secret for my Valentine, my husband. There was no hiding the refrigerator stacked with berries, something round hidden under sheets of foil wrap and the smell of melting chocolate. Since I had melted too much chocolate and there were left over berries I felt compelled to share an early Valentine's Day treat. Sometimes there are benefits when one hangs around the kitchen. I prefer baked cheesecakes and this one was very easy to whip up.

  

Cheesecake

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1 1/4 cup graham crumbs

1/4 cup melted butter

3 - 250g packages of cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

spoonful of lemon juice

spoonful of lemon zest

Combine the graham crumbs and butter together. Press into a spring form pan.

Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until just blended. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Pour into crust. 

Bake at 350ºF for 45-50 minutes or until centre is almost set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Decorate as you desire. 

Notes - By far this is as simple as cheesecakes can get. It is pretty much foolproof. You can certainly change up the crust by using chocolate or vanilla cookie crumbs. Try digestive biscuits. Also adding spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg to the crust mixture is lovely. You can add orange or lime zest instead of the traditional lemon. Adding liqueur for a more grown-up sophisticated cheesecake. You can purée the fruit however I prefer fresh fruit. Simple things like chocolate, dried fruit, and nuts. The possibilities are truly endless. 

     

London Cheesecake

As promised here is the London Cheesecake. I have never tasted a cheesecake more moist and delicious than this one! The recipe calls for three eggs plus three egg yolks. Sounds rich but oddly enough it felt light due to the fact that it melts in your mouth. This wasn't velvet... this is silk! Also the thin sour cream topping gave it a slight tartness that was more than pleasant. I believe this cheesecake is supposed to be served naked. The berries give it a nice touch and I am thinking about the possibility of adding rum to flavour it next time. Truth be known when you have a recipe sometimes it's nice to add your own touches to the dish. Stamping your signature can be most satisfying. 

I am such a tease! One picture can't possibly be enough. You can find the recipe on Nigella's website, search recipes or type in London Cheesecake in the search box, click *here*. Also Nigella Lawson viewed yesterday's blog post and sent me a short and sweet message. Very gracious! -JW