Chef Ed's

Irish Coffee Cheesecake

with Irish Whiskey Chocolate Glaze

Yield: 24 mini cheesecakes

or

1 9-inch Cheesecake

Yield: 12 slices

 Ingredients:

Crust:

1 1/2 to 2 cups of Crisp Oatmeal Cookies (about 18 to 24 medium size cookies)

3 to 4 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 300F degrees

-In a food processor or blended finely grind the Oatmeal cookies; remove to a bowl

-Add the melted butter and mix with your hands, until you get the consistency of wet sand.

-Press each equal portions onto bottoms of 24 paper-lined muffin cups.

-Bake the crust, for about 5 minutes, remove and let cool on a rack.

-In you are making  9-inch springform pan, use  2 cups of the oatmeal mix, and press down to smooth out. Than bake for about 7 minutes. Remove and Cool

Cheesecake batter:

1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

3 whole large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 can sweetened condensed milk 

1/4 cup hot water

2 teaspoon instant espresso coffee

1/4 cup Irish Whiskey

1/4 cup Heavy Cream

Method

-Mix the espresso powder with the hot water; set aside

-Mix the Whiskey with the heavy cream; set aside 

-Place the cream cheese, in a large electric mixer  bowl, and using the paddle attachment, on medium speed, mix the cream cheese, as you slowly add the sugar, a little at a time, and until the  cream cheese is smooth.

-Add the whole eggs and the yolk, one at a time, and continue beating until you have a smooth blend, than add the sweet condensed milk and beat until everything is blended in and smooth. Add the coffee mix; than the whiskey mix.

-Divide the batter equally, between each of the paper-lined muffin cups

-Bake in a 300 F degree oven for approximately 20 minutes

or until cakes spring back when lightly touched.

-Remove from the oven, and cool completely; the cheesecakes will sink a little in the center; than refrigerate the cheesecakes for about 1 hour, before glazing them; 

Chocolate Irish Whiskey Glaze:

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 tablespoon of unsalted butter

6 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips

3 teaspoons of Irish Whiskey 

-Place the chocolate chips, in a medium bowl; set aside

-In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream and butter to just a boil; remove from heat and pour over the chocolate; wait a minute, than using a whisk stir the mixture until all the chocolate is melted and is has a silky smooth appearance; add the whiskey.

-Set aside for about 7 minutes to cool down, before glazing the cheesecake.

Chef's Note: If you are preparing this cheesecake in a large 9-inch springform pan, follow the same procedures as for the mini cheesecakes, except bake in a 300 F degree oven for  50 to 60 minutes or until center is set. Remove from oven and cool completely; than refrigerate about 2 hours, before glazing the cheesecake.

Serve with a dollop of Whipped Heavy Cream, and of course, add a few drops of  Irish Whiskey to the cream.

Enjoy, Chef Ed