Espresso Martini Cheesecake

I'm working late, 'cause I'm a singer... or something like that.

Time: Active Time: 35 Minutes; Cooking Time: 1 hour 8 Minutes; Chill Time: Overnight

Serving Size: 12-16 Servings

Allergy Notes: Gluten Free, Nut Free

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In celebration of the State Fair (and my 2 entries this year!) I thought I'd share with you all my submission into last years cheesecake competition; Espresso Martini Cheesecake. While I didn't place, this was a labor of love, both from the amount of trials and from the fact that this recipe is developed from my mother's recipe, a childhood favorite. No family holiday has ever been complete without my mom's cheesecake. Sure there have been different iterations over the years- nuts in the crust, fresh fruit on top instead of canned cherry pie filling with a dash of almond extract mixed in, but one thing always remains the same, no matter how many cheesecakes I have, nothing will ever beat my mom's signature recipe. This recipe differs from your standard New York cheesecake in a couple of ways. Firstly, it's so much fluffier than the dense cake you'll find at somewhere like the Cheesecake Factory. Secondly, it has a sour cream topper that perfectly balances out the sweetness of the rest of the dish and is dare I say, maybe my favorite part. This espresso martini iteration is a fun twist on the classic, combining the flavors of one of my favorite cocktails (although not typically made with whiskey as this recipe is) with my all time favorite dessert. It's sure to be a showstopper at your next event!

Ingredients

• For the Crust

  • 3/4 pack of Gluten Free Oreo Crumbs, Cream Removed

  • 1/2 cup Sugar

  • 1/2 Unsalted Butter, Melted

• For the Filling

  • 3, 16 oz blocks of Cream Cheese, Softened

  • 3 Large Eggs, Room Temperature

  • 1/4 cup Jameson Cold Brew Irish Whiskey

  • 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp Jameson Irish Whiskey

  • 2 tbsp Instant Coffee (I like the instant cold brew from Trader Joe's)

  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

• For the Topping

  • 16 oz Sour Cream

  • 1/4 cup Sugar

  • 1 tbsp Jameson Cold Brew Irish Whiskey

  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

• Garnish

  • Grated Coffee Chocolate

  • 3 Coffee Beans

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Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°.

2. Wrap the bottom of a 10-inch spring form pan in aluminum foil. If you've never used a spring form pan, beware that not having a tight seal will cause butter to leak from the pan into your oven and cause a smoking mess. I speak from experience (sorry about that one time Amy and Jerry!). This is why we take the precautionary step of wrapping it in foil.

3. Remove cream from Oreos. Crush the Oreos until they are the consistency of sand. The easiest method for doing this is in a food processor or blender, but can be done by putting the cookies into a gallon size bag and crushing them with a rolling pin.

4. Melt the butter and combine with the crushed Oreos and sugar and press into the pan, making sure to press tightly and evenly along the bottom and going up the sides as high as you can (about two inches). I find that using the bottom of a glass cup can help with the pressing.

5. Add the softened cream cheese to a large mixing bowl along with the sugar, vanilla, and instant coffee. Using a hand mixer, whip the mixture on a medium-high speed until it starts to come together. You can use a stand mixer, but I've found that using a hand mixer whips more air into the filling, creating a lighter, fluffier texture (plus it's how my mom always did it).

6. One at a time incorporate the eggs, mixing thoroughly between each one.

7. With the mixer running on low-medium, stream in both the Jameson Cold Brew Irish Whiskey and the Jameson Whiskey, mixing until the mixture is smooth and no cream cheese chunks remain.

8. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake for 1 hour. I often set the cake pan on a cookie sheet for ease of removal from the oven.

9. Remove the cake from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes.

10. Meanwhile, combine the topping ingredients (sour cream, sugar, Jameson Cold Brew Irish Whiskey, and vanilla) and pour over the cake, spreading evenly.

11. Raise the oven temperature to 375° and return the cake to the oven, baking for an additional 8 minutes.

12. Remove the cake and cool at room temperature before covering and chilling in the refrigerator over night.

13. Prior to serving, you can optionally garnish the top of the cheesecake with grated coffee chocolate and 3 coffee beans for that signature espresso martini look.

The original recipe published in an Army wives cookbook circa the early '90s. If you choose the make the original version, substitute the zwieback crumbs for graham crackers, 4 eggs instead of 5, and 16 oz of sour cream instead of 1 qt. Needless to say, the master has perfected her recipe over the years!