Murphy's and Baileys Cheesecake Recipe

Murphy's and Baileys Cheesecake

from Margaret M. Johnson's The Irish Pub Cookbook

Crumb Crust:

1 cup crumbs from gingersnaps or Irish digestive biscuits, such as Carr's or McVitie's brand (6 to 8 biscuits)
3 tablespoons unsalted Kerrygold Irish butter, melted

Syrup:

4 cups Murphy's stout
2 cups dark brown sugar

Filling:

One 8-ounce package cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
3/4 cup Baileys Irish Cream liqueur
One 1/4-ounce envelope unflavored gelatin
1 cup boiling water
Fresh berries for garnish

Serves 10 to 12

This and many other wonderful
recipes may be found
in Margaret M. Johnson's
The Irish Pub Cookbook
from Chronicle Books

The White House, in Kinsale, County Cork, is one of the town's oldest licensed establishments. A landmark for generations, the bar is handsomely designed with a pine floor, warm yellow walls, beamed rafters, globe lighting, and plenty of comfortable tartan-covered seating. Under the direction of the Frawley family for more than 140 years, the White House is also a busy hotel. It has a modern bar in addition to the pub, bistro, and Restaurant D'Antibes, where chef Mark Russell is in charge of the kitchen. His inventive cheesecake is flavored with Murphy's, the famous Cork-brewed stout. It is served in both the restaurant and pub and is a long-standing favorite.

1. To make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, combine the crumbs and melted butter. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch round springform pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

2. To make the syrup: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the stout and brown sugar. Gently bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and syrupy and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and let cool.

3. To make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth with an electric mixer. Add the cream and beat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until smooth. Stir in half the Murphy's syrup and all of the Baileys. In a small bowl, combine the gelatin and boiling water. Stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes. Stir a tablespoons of the syrup into the gelatin, then stir the gelatin into the cream cheese mixture. Pour the filling over the biscuit crust. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours, or until firm. Set aside the remaining syrup at room temperature.

4. When ready to serve, release the sides of the pan and cut the cheesecake into wedges. Drizzle some of the remaining Murphy's syrup around each slice and garnish with fresh berries.