Homemade Irish Cream

Ingredients (makes 64 ounces)

3 cups Jameson's Irish whiskey
2 cups heavy cream
2 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
4 T chocolate syrup
4 tsp vanilla extract

2 teaspoon instant coffee

 Variations:

• Try adding 1-1/2  tsp. of either almond, hazelnut or coconut extract or flavoring.
• Make Butterscotch Irish Cream by adding 3 cups Butterscotch Schnapps. 
• Note: Butterscotch Irish Cream will make more than 64 ounces

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree on high speed for 30 seconds.

Transfer mixture to an airtight container or glass bottle with a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Shake well before using.

Slainte'

Irish Pub Cupcakes

These cupcakes incorporate the 3 Irish libations that everyone thinks of on St. Patrick's Day > Guinness Stout, Jameson's Irish Whiskey & Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur.  Together it's a party in your mouth.  The Guinness accentuates the chocolate and the sour cream makes the cake desirably moist.  Then the Jameson's in the chocolate ganache makes for a wonderfully tasty surprise, while the Irish Cream frosting brings with it a bit of Irish heaven.

Recipe adapted from AllRecipes.com.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Irish stout beer (such as Guinness®)
• 1 cup butter
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream

• 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon Irish whiskey, or more to taste
• 
  
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar, or more as needed
• 3 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur (such as Baileys®), or more to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

Bring Irish stout beer and 1 cup butter to a boil in a saucepan and set aside until butter has melted, stirring occasionally. 

Mix in cocoa powder until smooth.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until thoroughly combined.

Beat eggs with sour cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low until well combined. Slowly beat in the beer mixture, then the flour mixture; beat until the batter is smooth.

Divide batter between the prepared cupcake cups, filling each cup about 2/3 full.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 17 minutes.

Cool the cupcakes completely. Cut cores out of the center of each cupcake with a sharp paring knife. Discard cores.

Bring cream to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat; stir in bittersweet chocolate until melted.

Mix in 2 tablespoons butter and Irish whiskey until butter is melted; let mixture cool to room temperature. Filling will thicken as it cools.

Spoon the filling into the cored cupcakes.

For frosting, whip 1/2 cup butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.

Set mixer to low speed and slowly beat in confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, until frosting is smooth and spreadable. Beat in the Irish cream liqueur; adjust thickness of frosting with more confectioners' sugar if needed.

Spread frosting on filled cupcakes or apply using a piping bag.

Decorate as desired.  I sprinkled on a variety of St. Patrick's Day appropriate on decos and made shamrocks using green Candy Melts. Since I was making these for a friend for her Dad's 75th Birthday, I also made 75s from the Candy Melts and decorated half with those.

Slainte'!

Irish Soda Bread Muffins

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home recipe.

Ingredients

2-1/4 c flour

1/2 c sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 egg

1 c buttermilk

1/4 c butter, melted

1/4 c canola oil

1/3 c currants

1/3 c dark raisins

1/3 c golden raisins

In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, & baking soda. In another bowl, beat the egg, buttermilk, butter and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in currants & raisins.

Fill greased muffin cups (or use liners) three-fourths full. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack. Serve warm.Yield: 1 dozen.

Cead mile failte!