Rootitoot Irish Coffee (or Bailey’s) Cheesecake
This recipe can be converted into a Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake or a Baileys and Coffee Cheesecake. Just keep the amount of liquid at 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons). Either use 1/4 cup of Baileys OR 3 tablespoons of Bailey's and 1 tablespoon hot water mixed with the instant coffee.
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 cup coffee-flavoured cookie crumbs (or Oreos or Nilla crumbs)
3 Tbsp melted butter
Filling:
2 Tbsp espresso powder or instant coffee
1 Tbsp hot water
3 Tbsp Irish whisky or Bailey’s Irish Cream
2 8-oz pkg cream cheese (low-fat works, too)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
Topping:
3/4 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)
1/2 tsp vanilla.
Chocolate curls (optional)
Directions:
**Important: Warm the cream cheese. Trust me on this. It makes it MUCH easier to blend if it's warmer than room temperature and it only takes a few minutes instead of hours sitting on the counter. Put the wrapped cream cheese in a ziplock bag, but don't seal it. Push it into a sink or bowl full of hot tap water to force the air out and THEN seal it. Weight it down with a plate for about 15 minutes. It will be very soft and easy to blend.
Spray the pan with baking spray. No need to line it with parchment paper.
CRUST:
Mix ingredients with a fork and gently press it into the bottom of the pan and up the sides a bit if you like. Don't press the crust in too firmly, just pat it into place. It’s much easier to serve if you use a gentle touch. Put it in the freezer or if you prefer, bake it at 350 for 9 minutes, then cool completely.
FILLING:
Dissolve the coffee in the hot water, then add the whisky or Bailey’s. Beat the warmed cream cheese and the sugar until completely smooth. Add the coffee and whisky or Baileys and beat again. Add the eggs and combine just until incorporated. Try not to overbeat once the eggs are in to prevent cracking on the surface when it cooks. Pour the filling into the crust.
Put 1 cup water in the Instant Pot. Place the cheesecake on the trivet and lower it into the pot. Close the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Hit Pressure Cook (or Manual) and use the + and – buttons to get to 30 minutes for a 7-inch pan.
PAN SIZE AND COOK TIMES:
6-inch pan --- 33 minutes
7-inch pan --- 30 minutes
8-inch pan --- 27 minutes
Individual ramekins or mason jars --- 12 minutes
For 1 1/2 times the recipe:
7-inch pan --- 34 minutes
8-inch pan --- 31 minutes
For two times the recipe:
8-inch pan --- 35 minutes
When it beeps that it's done, leave it for a 15-minute Natural Release. Then flip the valve to Venting for a Quick Release and when the pin drops, take out the cheesecake.
If it appears jiggly, don't worry. It will firm up as it cools. If there is some condensation on the surface gently blot it off with a paper towel.
Leave it to cool on the counter for an hour. Then cover the cheesecake and refrigerate it in the pan for at least 4 hours, preferably 24.
TOPPING:
At serving time, use my hot towel trick to remove the cheesecake from the pan. Run a tea towel under hot tap water and wring it out. Wrap it around the cheesecake pan for about 15 seconds to help it release easily. Run a thin knife around the edge. Rinse the towel under hot water again, wring it out and fold it in four. Put the cheesecake pan on the hot towel for about 30 seconds. That's enough to melt the butter on the bottom of the crust. It will be easy to remove with a large knife or spatula.
Whip the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until it forms stiff peaks. Pipe or spoon on top of the cheesecake
Immediately before serving, sprinkle the top lightly with a coarse, raw sugar like Demerara or Turbinado or even a plain brown sugar. Decorate with chocolate curls or shavings if desired.