Homemade Irish Cream (Bailey’s)

Many years ago I made some homemade Irish Cream, and used a chocolate mould to make Irish Cream chocolates. They were delicious and messy. This winter I decided to try it again, minus the chocolates; so I’d have something different to bring to Christmas parties. The recipe I used before, as most of the ones I was able to find this time around, contain canned condensed milk, chocolate syrup and instant coffee powder. This time I wanted to try a recipe that used fresh cream, home-made chocolate extract, and cold-pressed coffee. And it’s really yummy!

You need to plan a day or two in advance to make the chocolate extract and cold-pressed coffee. I have only included enough ingredients to make enough extract and coffee for this recipe. If you double the recipe for the chocolate extract you will have some left over to add to other recipes, like cakes and brownies.

The Homemade Irish Cream should keep in the fridge for about a month. I know that Bailey’s has no artificial preservatives in it, and it keeps for up to two years because the alcohol and sugar work as preservatives. Let me know how long yours lasts! I’ll be giving mine away, so it won’t last long enough to test the shelf-life.

A few things you’ll need are some bottles for storing the Irish Cream, coffee filters, and a funnel for pouring.

Some of the ingredients settle when it’s in the fridge, so you have to give it a shake before serving.

What you need:

• 2 tablespoons vodka or whiskey (for chocolate extract)
• 1 tablespoon dark chocolate cocoa (for chocolate extract)
• 1/2 cup coarsely ground coffee beans (for cold-press coffee concentrate)
• 1 cup cold water (for cold-press coffee concentrate)
• 2 tablespoons  Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Chips  60% Cacao
• 2 cups fresh organic cream (I used Avalon)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 & 1/2 cups Irish Whiskey (I used Jameson’s)

What you do:

1. Two days in advance prepare the chocolate extract: In a small container stir the cocoa, vodka or whiskey, and 1 tablespoon of water. Let this sit at room temperature for the two days, stirring once or twice a day. After the two days, moisten a coffee filter with water, then strain the chocolate mixture. It will take time to strain all the liquid out, but you will be left with a gorgeous chocolate extract.
2. The night before making the Irish Cream you can make the cold-press coffee concentrate: Coarsely grind the coffee beans, then pour them along with 1/2 cup cold water into a jar, making sure all the beans get moistened. Add the other 1/2 cup of the water, then seal the jar and store in the fridge overnight. In the morning you can strain the liquid using a coffee filter.
3. Using a double boiler over medium-low heat, or a bowl over a pot that has some water in it, place the chocolate chips along with about 2 teaspoons of cream. Stir the chocolate chips until they have melted.
4. In a bowl whisk the remaining cream and the sugar together. Little by little add the sugar and cream mixture to the melted chocolate, until it has all been incorporated and the sugar has dissolved.
5. Pour the mixture into a large bowl that has a pouring spout, or into a large jar. Use an immersion blender to pulse a few times to combine, or whisk for a minute. Add the chocolate and vanilla extracts, cold-pressed coffee concentrate, and whiskey. Pulse the blender a few more times to combine.
6. Use a funnel to pour the Irish Cream into clean jars.
7. Refrigerate, and enjoy over ice, in coffee, or on top of ice cream. Don’t forget to shake it up first!