Like many of my recipes this one is based on an old family recipe for a basic cheesecake with a classic graham cracker crust. I took the recipe and enhanced it with Bailey’s Irish Cream and created a rich buttery shortbread crust. For as long as I can remember my family has topped cheesecake with canned cherry pie filling. I know, it sounds weird, but it works amazingly well. Fresh cherries are unbelievably fiddly and time consuming to work with, not to mention expensive! Making that cherry topping an instance where homemade is not always better or even necessary. However, for this cheesecake I felt that chocolate would be a much better pairing. So, this recipe includes a rich chocolate ganache that tops each mini cheesecake. And just to make sure that there is plenty of alcohol a big swirl of spiked whipped Cream goes on top of that.
To give this recipe some context, I made these cheesecakes on Saturday, March 14th just as the world was going sideways. Two days earlier the university where I work had announced that students would not be returning from spring break and that we would be switching to online instruction. A few days later we would switch to remote working and by the end of the month the entire state would sheltering in place. While people piled into Publix to buy toilet paper and Clorox wipes like they were going out of style, I was loading up on eggs, sugar, and cream cheese. Along with corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes. Not realizing that the St. Patrick’s Day Party I was hosting that night would be the last party for the foreseeable future.
Let’s talk about some of the basics when it comes to making cheesecake. Cheesecake is at its core a custard; therefore, it is by nature a sensitive item that does not like drastic changes in temperature. Thus, it is very important to start with room temperature ingredients. Allow the eggs and cream cheese to sit out for at least an hour, preferably two, before you begin baking. Having the eggs and cream cheese at room temperature will help to create and smooth and homogenous cheesecake mixture. When the cheesecakes are done baking do not remove them from the oven. Instead turn the oven off and prop it open for about an hour. Let the cheesecakes cool slowly in the oven. A sudden drop in temperature will cause the cheesecake to crack in the middle and could affect the final texture.
That being said, a little cracking in the middle will not be the worst thing since these cheesecakes are getting topped with chocolate ganache. I like to make my ganache using a double boiler. However, you can just as easily melt the chocolate in the microwave if you prefer. Just remember, regardless of what method you are using the cream needs to be warm before you add it to the melted chocolate. Otherwise, the sudden change in temperature will cause the chocolate to seize up and your ganache will be stiff and grainy. I like to add a little instant espresso powder to my ganache. You can’t really taste it in the final product, but I find that it enhances the flavor of the chocolate.
The base of this cheesecake is made from shortbread cookie crumbs rather than the traditional graham cracker cookie crumbs. Since shortbread cookies are already high in butter you will only need to use a little melted butter to bring the crust together. It is important to chill the crust for 15 minutes or so before pouring in the cheesecake mixture so that it has a chance to solidify and holds its shape.
The final layer of flavor comes from whipped cream spiked with Bailey’s. The secret to flawless whipped cream is making sure that everything is cold. Cold heavy cream, cold Bailey’s, and even a cold mixing bowl. This will help the whipped cream form a good stable structure.
A few helpful tips for this recipe:
- Put the mini spring form pans on a large sheet pan. This will make getting the cheesecakes in and out of the oven much easier.
- The cheesecakes can be made the day before and stored in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve simply spoon on the chocolate ganache and top with the whipped cream.
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Ingredients
- Shortbread Cookie Crust
2 Cups of Shortbread Cookie Crumbs (Approximately 12 cookies)
5 Tablespoons of Butter
- Cheesecake Filling
24 Ounces of Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
1 Cup of Sugar
3 Eggs, Room Temperature
1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla
1/4 Cup of Bailey’s Irish Cream
1/4 Cup of Sour Cream
- Chocolate Ganache
1 1/2 Cups of Chocolate Chunks
1/2 Cup of Heavy Cream, Warm
1/2 Teaspoon of Instant Coffee
- Whipped Cream
1 Cup of Heavy Cream, Cold
1/3 Cup of Powdered Sugar, Sifted
1/4 Cup of Bailey’s Irish Cream, Cold
1/4 Teaspoon of Vanilla
Directions
- For the Crust
- Crush up the shortbread cookies in a food processor fitted with a steel blade or in a large plastic bag with a rolling pin, until they are in fine crumbs.
- Transfer to a bowl and mix in the melted butter until all of the crumbs are moist.
- Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of 6 4-Inch spring form pans (or into the bottom of one 10-Inch spring form pan). Place the pans in the refrigerator so that the crust can set, while you make the cheesecake filling.
- For the Cheesecake Filling
- Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer and set on medium speed. After a minute stop the mixer and add the sugar. Cream together on medium speed for several minutes until light and fluffy. Stop to scrap down the bowl as needed
- Next, reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time. Waiting until each egg is fully incorporated to add the next.
- Then add the vanilla, Irish Cream, and Sour Cream. Turn the mixer back on to low speed. Once all of the ingredients are incorporated, turn up to medium-high for one minute.
- Place the spring form pans on a sheetpan and fill evenly with the cream cheese mixture.
- Bake at 350° for approximately 30 minutes. The cheesecakes should be almost completely set with just a slight “wobble” when you shake the pan.
- When done, DO NOT remove from the oven. Turn the oven off and prop the door open. Allow the cheesecakes to cool in the oven slowly for about an hour before removing. This help to prevent any cracking across the top.
- For the Chocolate Ganache
- Set a heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Be careful that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the top of the water.
- Place the chocolate in the bowl, stiring occasionally as it melts.
- Pour in the warm cream and stir continuously until smooth and glossy.
- Finally, stir in the instant coffee powder
- Remove from the heat. While the ganache is still warm, but not hot, spoon a generous amount onto each cooled cheesecake. Smooth out the ganache to almost the edges using either a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
- For the Whipped Cream
- Pour the cold heavy cream into the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Set to high speed and let whisk for about a minute.
- Then add the powdered sugar, Irish Cream, and Vanilla.
- Turn the mixer back on. First to low speed and gradually increase to high. Continue to whisk until firm peaks form in the bowl.
- Transfer the whipped cream mixture to a pipping bag and just before serving pipe some whipped cream onto the center of each cheesecake.
