As Dessert Lovers say “Life always tastes better with cheesecake!”

This gluten-free New York-style baked cheesecake pairs wonderfully with the infamous Irish whisky cream, Baileys. The buttery gluten-free biscuit base carries the fluffy caramel cheesecake topping, elegantly and proudly decorated with chocolate, Baileys whipped cream and fresh berries.

How to get that perfect biscuit base

​Depending on which biscuit you choose as your cheesecake base, the amount of butter added will vary to achieve a compact base. I notice that when I use home-baked biscuits, I need less butter. Whereas store-bought biscuits are drier and require more butter.

My tip is to add the butter slowly and test the consistency by rubbing the crumbs in your fingers. The crumbs should stick to your fingers easily. If they crumble and fall back into the bowl too quickly, add more butter. Another tip is to press the biscuit base down well with the back of a spoon or flat-bottomed glass.

If you don’t fancy making or using either store-bought or homemade gluten-free speculaas or digestive biscuits, here are some other store-bought gluten-free products that can be used to make a gluten-free biscuit or crumb crust:

Gluten-Free Pretzels

Gluten-Free Oreos

Gluten-Free Shortbread

Gluten-Free Graham Crackers

Gluten-Free Marie Biscuits

Is Baileys Irish Cream Gluten-Free?

The good news is, Baileys Irish Cream is GLUTEN-FREE!!!  Despite it having whiskey, the gluten from the barley is removed in the distillation process. If you would like more information about how safe it is to drink Baileys, this research article explains this well.

What non-alcoholic ingredient can I substitute Baileys with:

​There are some great flavours available to give the cheesecake a similar Baileys or caramel taste without the alcohol.

Tips for a perfect baked cheesecake

Use room temperature ingredients:

Bring the eggs, cottage cheese & cream cheese out to room temperature at least 30 minutes before baking. This prevents lumps and a smoother filling.

Adding eggs:

Add eggs one at a time and mix until just combined. Don’t over-mix or you will incorporate too much air into the filling which will consequently expand and crack your cheesecake during baking and cooling.

Prepare the spring-form tin:

Flip the base over so that you have a nice flat surface without the ridges around the base. Cover the base with foil and lock it into place with the sides. Lightly grease the base and sides with vegetable oil. Cut out a circle of baking paper and place this on the base of the tin.

Prepare the water bath:

Select a slightly larger deep tray to house the spring-form tin as a water bath. Cover the outside of the spring-form tin in foil. This prevents water from leaking into the spring-form tin. Have some boiling water ready to pour in the water bath just before baking the cheesecake.

Prepare the biscuit base:

The base is cooked between 10 to 15 minutes. Again, this depends on the type of biscuit used. I recommend checking after 10 minutes of baking. If an indentation is left behind when pressed with your finger, it needs longer. It needs to be firm, or the cheesecake filling will seep into the base and ruin its appearance.

Once baked and cooled, brush the base with lightly beaten egg white before adding the cheesecake filling. This acts as a sealant to the base for any potential leaks that could make the base soggy.

Baking tips:

Don’t be tempted to open the oven to peek at your cheesecake for the first 30 minutes, or cracks will form.

Don’t skip baking the cheesecake without the water bath. The water creates humidity while baking which prevents cracks from forming, plus bakes gently and evenly.

After 45 minutes of baking, test if it is ready by tapping the side of the tin with a wooden spoon. If it ripples and jiggles, it needs another 10 to 15 minutes more of baking. The ideal time in my oven is one hour, but every oven behaves different, so do this test at 45 minutes.

Cooling tips:

There are three stages in the cooling period:

1. Once the cheesecake is baked, turn the oven off and leave it there for one hour with the oven door shut.
2. Bring the cheesecake in the water bath out to cool down for 10 minutes before running a knife along the side between the cheesecake and the tin. This step will ensure the cheesecake doesn’t stick or crack on the sides. Continue to leave the cheesecake in the tin for another 50 minutes at room temperature.
3. Remove the tin from the water bath and place the tin in the fridge uncovered for one hour. After this, the cheesecake tin may be covered with a plate or foil and kept chilled until serving time…usually, a few hours later is best.

Serving tips:

Since you have prepared the spring-form tin so well, removing the cheesecake onto the serving plate will be a breeze. I run a pastry scraper under the base to loosen it slightly. It slides off easily, including the baking paper from underneath.

Slicing the cheesecake neatly needs some hot water, a big knife and some paper towels. Heat the knife in the hot water, wipe it dry with the paper towel and slice the cheesecake. Repeat for each slice. I even do the same with the cake spatula, as the heat unsticks the crust from the serving platter.

* *

After all that hard work, the moment has come to enjoy your cheesecake. Serve it with extra whipped cream, fresh berries and… perhaps a glass of Baileys?