Irish Cream White Chocolate Cheesecake
This is not a baked custard cheesecake. It is a gelatin set cheesecake that I first made in England and continue to make. Apart from the crust there is no baking, no worrying if you've overcooked the custard style, no cracking of cheesecake, overnight cooling etc. It is very popular with my students and clients and you can vary it with different chocolates and liqueurs. It is stiff when you remove it from the fridge but softens to more of a mousse consistency when it's been out of the fridge for half an hour. This is a very mild flavor since Irish Cream is very mild. But see in the photo a liqueur glass of Irish Cream to drink with it.
One of my March 2017 recipes for BeyondCeliac (originally National Foundation for Celiac Awareness)
7 inch springform, double recipe for 9-10 inch springform
Almond shortbread crust:
3/4 c (3 oz 80 g) almond flour (ground almonds)
3 Tbsp (45 ml) powdered (icing) sugar
3 Tbsp (1+1/2 oz, 42 g) butter
Filling:
1/2 lb (1 brick, 8 oz, 225 g) of cream cheese at room temperature,. I do use stores own lite cream cheese but it does make a softer set.
2 Tbsp (30 ml) powdered sugar
1 x 4 oz (112g) bar good quality white chocolate, broken into small pieces. At time of writing, Lindt are saying their white chocolate is gluten free. Guitard is the only other white chocolate I know but its flavor doesn't compare to Lindt.
1+1/4 c (10 fl oz, 300 ml) whipping or heavy (double ceam) cream divided
½ tsp gelatin from Knox gelatin packet sprinkled on 1 tbsp (15 ml) water in small cup
3 Tbsp (45 ml) Irish Cream liqueur. At time of writing Carolan's says it is gluten free, Bailey's says to check with your doctor.
1 Tbsp (15 ml) powdered sugar
1 Tbsp (15 ml) Irish Cream liqueur
1. Crust. Mix almond flour and powered sugar. Rub in butter until mix resembles fine breadcrumbs. I do this in food processor but stop while mix is crumbs and before it mixes to a paste.
2. Sprinkle evenly into base of 7 Inch springform pan and press down. Bake in a preheated 350* oven for about 12 minutes. Base should be a light golden brown and about 1/4 inch thick when cooked. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
3. Pour 1/4 c (60 ml, 2 fl oz) cream in 4 c microwave bowl, heat for about 44 seconds. Add chopped chocolate, let stand for 2 minutes, then stir until chocolate mix is smooth. If necessary, heat for about 10 more seconds if there are lumps left. You have to treat white chocolate very carefully as it has a tendency to harden (seize) if overheated.
4. In a separate 4 c (1 liter) bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar, and 3 tbsp Irish cream liqueur until smooth and creamy.
5. Slowly beat chocolate mix into cream cheese mixture and beat for about 1 minute to increase fluffiness. I did add a few drops of green coloring to mix.
6. Microwave the gelatin water mix for about 10 seconds until it becomes yellowy clear liquid. Then beat into chocolate cream cheese mix.
7. Pour 1/2 c ( 4 fl oz, 120 ml) cream into bowl that was used for melted chocolate and beat cream until stiff.
8. Gently beat cream into cheese and chocolate mix.
9. Pour into chilled crust. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until firm.
10. Once chilled, run a thin plastic spatula around edge between cheesecake and pan, release spring form side and remove. Gently run a thin knife between base and bottom of pan, and slide cheesecake onto serving plate. If you have a springform pan with a glass base, there is no need to move cheesecake.
11. To finish, whip 1/2 c (4 fl oz, 120 ml) whipped cream with 1 tbsp powdered sugar and 1 tbsp Irish cream liqueur and pipe rosettes around top edge of cheesecake.
