Homemade Whisky Irish Cream Liqueur

216

PREP TIME

10 min

Makes

3 1/4 cups

(Photo: iStock)

This dreamy after-dinner tipple tastes amazingly like Baileys Irish Cream (imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, right?). Sipped straight up or over ice, it’ll warm you through and through.

Ingredients

1 cup 18% cream
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp instant espresso powder
300-mL can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup Canadian whisky
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract

Instructions

Combine 1/2 cup cream with cocoa and instant espresso in a small saucepan and set over high. Whisk until liquid comes to a gentle boil and cocoa has dissolved, about 2 to 3 min.
Pour into a large bowl. Whisk in remaining cream, condensed milk, whisky, vanilla and almond extract until combined. Transfer to a sealable jar or bottle. Cream liqueur can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks. Shake before serving.

Nutrition (per ¼ cup)

Calories
196,
Protein
4 g,
Carbohydrates
23 g,
Fat
7 g,
Sodium
60 mg.

Switch It Up!

Three variations to suit every taste

Coffee Cream Liqueur

Increase espresso to 2 tsp. Reduce whisky to 1/2 cup. Add 3/4 cup Kahlua. Continue with recipe.

Caramel Cream Liqueur

Reduce whisky to 1/2 cup and add 1 cup Butter Ripple Schnapps. Continue with recipe.

Chai Cream Liqueur

Omit cocoa, espresso and extracts. Add 3 chaitea bags to the cream, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 tsp each ground cinnamon and ground ginger and 1/8 tsp
each ground cardamom and cloves in a saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring for 5 min. Pour into a bowl. Remove tea bags. Continue with recipe.

Four Ways To Use It

Fun Fondue

Melt 100 g chopped dark, milk or white chocolate with 1 cup any Cream Liqueur in a small saucepan over medium. Whisk to combine. Pour into fondue pot. Serve with chunks of fruit and biscotti.

Tasty Tiramisu

Arrange ladyfingers in 1 layer on the bottom of an 8 × 8-in. dish until completely covered. Pour 1 cup Coffee Cream Liqueur over ladyfingers. Beat 3/4 cup 35% cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted. Beat in 1/2 475-g container of mascarpone and 3 tbsp granulated sugar. Spread mixture over ladyfingers. Smooth top. Sift cocoa powder on top. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Chai-Spiced Eggnog Cocktail

Combine 1/3 cup Chai Cream Liqueur with 2 tbsp spiced rum and 1 egg yolk in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 10 sec. Pour into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with grated nutmeg. Serve immediately.

Whisky Ice Cream

Beat 1 cup 35% cream with an electric mixer on medium-high until stiff peaks form. Gradually pour in 3/4 cup any Cream Liqueur and continue beating until combined. Scrape into a 9 × 5-in. loaf pan and cover with plastic. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours.