Irish Gold
These look like heavy gold "coins." Pile into a big pot and it becomes the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!
24 Ritz crackers
1 cup smooth peanut butter
2 cups butterscotch chips
Spread half of the crackers with peanut butter. Top each with a second cracker.
Melt butterscotch chips according to package directions. Dip sandwich cookies into butterscotch. Place on wax paper to set.
Irish Cream Bundt Cake
1 cup chopped pecans
1 (18.5 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup Irish cream liqueur
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup Irish cream liqueur
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over bottom of pan.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. Mix in eggs, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup oil and 3/4 cup Irish cream liqueur. Beat for 5 minutes at high speed. Pour batter over nuts in pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto the serving dish. Prick top and sides of cake. Spoon glaze over top and brush onto sides of cake. Allow to absorb glaze repeat until all glaze is used up.
To make the glaze: In a saucepan, combine butter, 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup Irish cream.
Makes 1 (10-inch) Bundt cake.
Irish Coffee Cheesecake
Its a cheesecake with blarney a creamy, thick sweet on a spiced-oatmeal crust.
Source: Midwest Living
22 crisp oatmeal cookies
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 eggs
3 tablespoons coffee liqueur or milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons instant espresso coffee powder
1/3 cup Irish whiskey or milk
1 teaspoon instant espresso coffee powder
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon whipping cream
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Chocolate coffee beans or mocha beans
For crust, lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
In a food processor bowl, process cookies until finely crushed (should have 2 cups crumbs). Add butter, the 1 tablespoon brown sugar and the cinnamon; process until mixture is combined. (Or crush cookies in a plastic bag with a rolling pin. In a bowl, combine cookie crumbs with the 1 tablespoon brown sugar and the cinnamon. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture is well mixed.)
Press the crust mixture onto the bottom and 1-1/2 inches up the side of the prepared pan. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 8 minutes or until firm. Cool completely on a wire rack.
For filling, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and the 1 cup brown sugar with electric mixer until well combined. Add eggs all at once and beat on low speed until just combined.
Stir in liqueur or milk and vanilla extract. Dissolve the 2 tablespoons espresso coffee powder in Irish whiskey or milk. Add to cream cheese mixture; stir until just combined. Pour into cooled crust.
Bake in a 350 degree F oven about 50 minutes or until center appears nearly set when you shake it. Remove from oven. Cool 15 minutes. Loosen crust from side of pan. Cool 30 minutes more; remove side of pan. Cool 1 hour. Cover and chill at least 6 hours.
For topping, dissolve the 1 teaspoon espresso coffee powder and the 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in the 1 tablespoon whipping cream.
In a medium bowl, beat the 1-1/2 cups whipping cream with the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar until stiff peaks form (peaks stand straight). Fold in espresso mixture. Spread on top of chilled cheesecake. Garnish with chocolate coffee beans. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Makes 12 to 16 servings.
End of the Rainbow Cake
3/4 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Frosting of your choice
Gold foil-covered chocolate coins (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round baking pans.
In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Pour into prepared baking pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
Frost between layers and top and sides of cake. Decorate with chocolate coins if desired.
Best Irish Shortbread Anywhere!
1 pound butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
Use a pastry cutter or a fork to mash everything together until crumbly. Knead by hand until everything forms a shiny ball. (This takes a LOT of kneading.) Flatten dough into a rectangular pan, or two smaller pans, and poke all over with a fork. Bake at 325 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes (depends on whether you like hard or soft cookies). Cut it into bars, then bake for another 20 to 30 minutes at 275 degrees F.
Irish Whiskey Sauce
Pour this over pound cake or brownies.
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Irish whiskey
In a 1-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking until well combined. Remove from heat and stir in milk, sugar and whiskey. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately.
Makes 1 1/2 cups.
Irish Sherry Trifle
1 (8-inch) sponge cake or 10 ladyfingers
3 ounces raspberry gelatin
1 cup sherry
1 can fruit salad, drained
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
Cherries or strawberries
Blanched almonds
1 1/2 envelopes Birds custard
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 cups milk
Place sponge cake in glass serving dish. Arrange fruit salad on top.
Add 1 cup of boiling water to dissolve gelatin and then add 1 1/2 cups cold water. Pour this liquid over mixture.
Combine custard powder and sugar in small bowl; mix with little milk. Put remainder of milk in saucepan and bring to a boil. Add gradually the pudding mixture to milk and bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Pour mixture over sponge cake and fruit; chill.
Shortly before serving, pile whipped cream on pudding. Arrange cherries (or strawberries) and blanched almonds on top of whipped cream.
Blarney Stone Cookie Mix in a Jar
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup golden raisins
1 1/2 cups salted peanuts
1 3/4 cups flour mixed with 1 teaspoon baking
soda and 1 teaspoon allspice
Layer ingredients in order given in a 1 quart wide mouth canning jar. Press each layer firmly in place before adding the next ingredient. (makes 5 cups of mix)
Attach these instructions to the jar:
Empty jar into large mixing bowl; use you hands to thoroughly mix. Add 1/2 sticks soft butter, 2 eggs slightly beaten and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix until completely blended - you will need to finish mixing with your hands. Shape into balls the size of walnuts. Place 2 inches apart on sprayed cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F for 9 to 11 minutes, until edges are lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet and remove cookies to racks to cool completely.
Makes 3 1/2 dozen.