It’s a bit cheesy – but comes out fighting

May 3, 2015

Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake with Hazelnuts

The texture of this dish is the same as the centre of a baked cheesecake without the crust, and you can make it using any baked cheesecake recipe. Once cooked, the mix can be pressed into moulds to create fun desserts—use animal-shaped cookie cutters to make an edible cheesecake farmyard, or ninja cutters for an action-packed dessert.
Time: 3 hours 30 minutes, includes 2 hours cooking and 1 hour chilling time. Serves 4

Cheesecake
400 grams cream cheese
¼ cup sugar
3 eggs
6 tablespoons flour
½ cup cream
½ cup Baileys Irish Cream
pinch of salt
Hazelnuts
200 grams sugar
100 grams hazelnuts, toasted
20 grams white chocolate bits
20 grams dark chocolate bits
To serve
cocoa powder
raspberry powder
50ml Baileys Irish Cream
150ml cream
Preheat a water bath to 80°C/176°F.
In a mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until well incorporated, scraping down the sides to achieve an even mix. With the mixer still running, add the flour, and then the cream, Baileys and salt. Scrape the mixture into a large vacuum pouch and place in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm. Vacuum-seal the pouch as tightly as you can, and cook for 2 hours in the preheated water bath—if the pouch floats you may need to hold it under the water with a plate. Transfer immediately to an ice slurry. When chilled, press into 4 moulds and place in the freezer for around 60 minutes to partially freeze (this makes it easier to remove the cheesecakes from their moulds).

While the cheesecakes are freezing, preheat oven to 160°C/320°F.
Place 80g of the toasted hazelnuts on a tray lined with baking paper. In a saucepan, gently heat the sugar over medium heat until melted and golden in colour, then immediately pour this sugar syrup over the hazelnuts on the tray. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes until cold. Break the toffee into small pieces and place in a food processor, then blend to a fine powder. Chop the remaining 20g of hazelnuts and mix together with the chocolate bits and a tablespoon of the toffee powder. Set aside. Spread the rest of the toffee powder on a tray lined with baking paper,
and bake in the preheated oven until the toffee melts to form a biscuit (about 10-15 minutes).
Allow to cool.

Unmould the cheesecakes, and dust or roll some of them in cocoa and the others in raspberry powder. Bring to room temperature before serving. When ready to serve, whisk together Baileys and cream to medium peaks.
Place a spoonful of the chocolate hazelnut mix on each plate, followed by the cheesecake and Baileys cream. Garnish with the toffee crisp.