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Homemade Whisky Irish Cream Liqueur

237

  • Prep Time10 min
  • Total Time10 min
  • Makes3 1/4 cups
Homemade version of Baileys Irish Cream in short decorative stemmed glasses over ice

(Photo: iStock)

Chatelaine Triple Tested

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 4g, Carbohydrates 23g, Fat 7g, Sodium 60mg.

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.

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