I realize you will be looking for a cheesecake recipe based on this post’s title.  Truth is, I have no new cheesecake recipe to offer.  At the end of my rant, you will find a repost of the Baileys Cheesecake recipe from 2012, so appropriate for this month to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

saint-patricks-day

Cheesecake, Cheesecake, Cheesecake…on the treadmill in Charleston South Carolina, running 8 miles with no headphones, no television.  Boring! The only noise in the room was my feet hitting the belt of the treadmill which sounded like the word “cheese – cake, cheese – cake, cheese – cake”. Think maybe I was craving something? …at 7 in the morning?!!!

Yes, I am in South Carolina.  My father had an electrophysiology procedure at MUSC.  It has not been a vacation trip but more of a necessity for the sake of my parents.  They said it wasn’t necessary to come down but when doctors start poking around at my dad’s heart, I think that warrants the need/desire to be in closer proximity than up the other end of the states.

While in Charleston and after the procedure was complete, successful, and Dad was doing well, Mum and I left to have dinner on Meeting Street where tourists wander or take carriage rides while visiting the historic city.  The restaurant “Toast” was our dining establishment of choice. 

toast 

I would say it was a very southern style menu.  Fried, “po-boy” dishes, sausage, okra, etc.   Our meal went like this:

1.  Wine:  Pinot Noir and Moscato

toast wine

2. Salads:  Mixed Green with grapes, blue cheese, walnuts and then a standard tossed with lots of crumbled blue cheese.

photo 2

photo 3

3.  A greasy beef soup for Mum.  She said it was tasty but very greasy.

photo 1

4.  A Seafood Platter for me – grilled, not fried.  Crab cake, shrimp and flounder

toast seafood plate

The menu was most likely attractive for a lot of families. The food was ok by us, not tops, but satisfying to hungry stomachs.   The service, can’t rank it as the best, a little slow but they did try to accommodate.  The prices – way, WAY too expensive.  Atmosphere… fun.

It was a short stay in Charleston and considering why we were there, that’s a good thing.  But now,  Baileys Cheesecake:

Baileys cheesecake

Crust:

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 TBS sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Beat the butter until soft.  Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and stir in flour. With floured fingertips, press dough evenly on the bottom only of an ungreased 10” spring-form pan.  Bake until golden, 10 – 12 minutes.  Cool completely.  If using the pie shell, bake about 8 minutes.

Filling:

  • 2 1/4 lbs cream cheese, softened to room temperature * I used 8 oz fat free cream cheese plus 15 oz part skim ricotta cheese.
  • 1 2/3 cups sugar  *I used 1 1/2 cups sugar.
  • 5 eggs at room temperature *I used 4 eggs
  • 3/4 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream
  • 1 TBS vanilla
  • 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (or mini chips).

Reduce heat of oven to 325 F.

Use an electric mixer to beat the cheese until smooth.  Gradually mix in the sugar.  Beat in eggs one at a time  Blend in the Bailey’s and vanilla.  Sprinkle 1/2 the chocolate chips over crust. 

Pour in the filling.  Sprinkle with remaining chips.  Bake (at 325 F) until puffed, springy in center and golden, about 1 hour 20 minutes.  *I baked mine for 50 minutes since it was split between 2 pie shells. Cool completely.

Coffee Cream Topping

  • 1 cup chilled heavy cream
  • 2 TBS sugar
  • 1 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 1 TBS very hot water – let cool.

Beat the cream, sugar, and cooled coffee until peaks form.  Spread over the cooled cheesecakes/pies.

What are you cooking/baking for St. Patrick’s Day?

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