6-Inch Irish Cream Cheesecake
A chocolate cookie crust is filled with Irish cream cheesecake and topped with rich chocolate ganache, Irish whipped cream, and semisweet chocolate curls.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 ¾ Cups Crushed Oreo Cookie Crumbs
- 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- ½ Cup Salted Butter, melted
For the Filling:
- 12 Ounces Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
- ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ⅓ Cup Heavy Cream
- ⅓ Cup Irish Cream (such as Bailey’s or O-Mara’s)
- ½ Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
For the Ganache:
- ½ Cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
- ¼ Cup Heavy Cream
For the Whipped Cream:
- ½ Cup Heavy Cream
- 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Irish Cream (or flavoring is a fine substitute here)
- ½ Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- To make the crust: To begin, scrape the filling out of 28 Oreos cookies. This will be just about 1 ¾ cups when processed. If you have a medium to large food processor, it is easy to combine all of the ingredients into the professor. If not, you can use a large ziplock bag and a rolling pin to crush the cookies into fine crumbs. Melt the butter either in a microwave safe container on high for 30-45 seconds, or on the stovetop in a small pan on high heat for 5-10 minutes (or until fully melted but not bubbling). Into your bowl of Oreo crumbs (or into your food processor), add the melted butter, and granulated sugar. Gently mix with a fork to combine, or set your food processor on until the mixture if fully combined (about 20 seconds or so). Press the crust into a 6-inch spring-foam pan that has been lined with a circle of parchment paper on the bottom. You can use a tall glass to press the crust into the pan, ensuring that it is set. Make sure to bring the crust a good bit up the sides to hold all the amazing layers well. Set this aside while you make the filling.
- To make the cheesecake filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream, Irish cream, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth, about twenty seconds. Add the egg and mix until just combined. Do not overmix this part. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan. Place foil around the outside bottom and place the pan in a larger baking dish {I used a 10-inch baking pan since I had it easily accessible}. Add about an inch of water to the pan. Bake at 350° for 65-75 minutes. If your cheesecake is browning too quickly, loosely cover it with foil at the 30 minute mark. Cheesecake should be mostly set and golden on the edges but slightly jiggly in the middle. It will set up further as it cools. Allow it to cool in the pan / water bath for 20 minute. Gently remove it from the water bath and place it on a towel to dry the bottom. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight until chilled and fully set.
- To make the ganache:Place the Heavy cream in a small bowl and warm in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Be cautious as the cream and the bowl could be hot. Alternatively, you can heat it on the stove top in a small pan on medium heat until it becomes hot and almost starts to bubble. Remove the bowl of cream and place the chocolate into the bowl, ensuring that it is completely covered by the cream. Allow this to sit untouched for five minutes. Whisk well until completely smooth. Pour over your chilled cheesecake and allow it to set up in the fridge for an additional 30 minutes.
- While the ganache is setting up, you can make the chocolate curls and the whipped cream. For the chocolate curls, simply follow the instructions on the blog linked above. For the whipped cream, place all ingredients in a small to medium sized bowl, and beat on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spread the whipped cream over the ganache layer of the cheesecake, and top with the chocolate curls. Serve immediately. Store any leftovers uncovered in the fridge for up to four days. Enjoy!
Notes
See blog for substitutions on dairy and gluten.