Irish Car Bomb Cheesecake Cupcakes!

Offensive name.  Delicious taste.  The taste makes up for the name.

Yeah, one of these is missing.  I had to do quality control!

Hey, quick side bar.  Check out my new Facebook page for "Home Grown, Homemade," and please like me.  You can do that by clicking right here -------------------------------------------------------->
(Warning: This arrow probably will not point to anything if this post is no longer the most recent post.  But I trust you're smart enough to find the Facebook "Like" button on this blog.  Or go HERE.)  If you're here via Facebook, please Follow me here.  Both make me feel popular and help boost my self esteem.

Moving forward...

Basically, I have three levels of locavorism.  First, I try to find it within 100 miles.  If that doesn't work, I try to find it from Wisconsin (lots of things that I can get from Door County - which is about 200 miles away).  If that doesn't work (orange juice, sugar, etc.) I find it from the US.  If that doesn't work, I don't buy it.

Unless it's alcohol, which is for some reason exempt from all the rules.

So, I have a dear friend who likes all things Irish alcohol related.  She also likes cheesecake.  And Tuesday was her birthday.  So, yeah, Irish alcohol is not so much local.  I get that.  But it was important, and it was for a friend so it doesn't count.  Sort of like birthday cake has no calories.  Right?  Right?!?

Here's the super cool thing that I learned making this recipe.  This recipe calls for an Oreo Cookie crust.  I feel like the Oreo Cookie crust is integral to the success of the recipe.  You put the Oreos - whole - into a food processor, so all of the filling part gets mixed in with the cookie part which is DELICIOUS!  But how, I ask myself, will I defend purchasing Oreos on my locavore blog?  Do I try to make them myself?  That sounds like a LOT of work, and something that will have very poor results.  I think the preservatives are part of what make Oreos so delicious.  I'm certain that the same applies to Cheetos.

Anyway, I digress.  I Googled "Where are Oreos made?"  According to Wikipedia (so we know it MUST be true), the Oreo was developed in Chelsea, in New York City, in 1912.  Also, they were originally made with lemon meringue filling.  Gross.  Oreo comes from the Greek word for appetizing.

All very interesting, but where the F-bomb are they made?

So I Google again.  This time "Oreo Factory."  Same Wikipedia article.  And then, something even better.  A website called "amusingfacts.com" that apparently also has a fool proof method for me to "Lose Seven Pounds in 7 Days With The Perfect Diet - Free Report Reveals How!"  There's a picture of a doctor.  It MUST be true!  I trust this website completely!

Anyway, according to amusingfacts.com, the largest cookie factory IN THE WORLD is in Chicago, IL.  And what do they make there?

OREOS!

Holy crap.  This is the mother-load. I validated it.  Google: "World's Largest Cookie Factory." 

According to Yahoo Associated Content: "The World's largest cookie and cracker factory as well as the world's largest ice cream cone factory are located in Chicago. Nabisco (cookie and cracker factory) is located at 7300 S. Kedzie Avenue on Chicago's south side and Keebler (ice cream cone factory) is also located on Chicago's south side at 10839 S. Langley Avenue."

Sweet fancy Jesus.

Nabisco is 98.2 miles from my house.  Keebler is 102.

Now, I'm not really a fan of Nabisco.  Well, I'm not really a fan of Kraft, which owns Nabisco.  They use GMOs; specifically the Genetically Engineered Bovine Growth Hormone (rBST), which I am very strongly against.  But that's another rant for another day.  Nothing is going to stand between me and my Oreos!

Yeah.  It's cheating.  I get that.  But on the other hand, is it really that different than buying the bacon from the bacon factory that's 5 blocks from my house?  Probably.  Oh well.

I originally found this on the internet, but have had it for a few years and have made a couple modifications.  I can't really say where I found it...

These are possibly my favorite cupcakes ever.  They are very alcoholic tasting.  But it's all baked off, so you can eat them and drive.   Eat them with a fork or spoon, because they are ooey-gooey delicious!

Individual Irish Car Bomb Cheesecake Cupcakes

Makes 24 Individual Mini Cheesecakes

Preparation: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cupcake pans with cupcake liners.

Oreo Cookie Crust

• 48 Oreos (L) (Makes me giggle to write that!)
• 12 tablespoons Irish Whiskey

Instructions:
You will probably want to do this in 4 batches, 12 Oreos and 3 tablespoons whiskey.  Otherwise the food processor gets too full and the cookies at the bottom turn into mush while the ones on the top are still totally intact.

Place Oreos in a food processor and pulse in three-four 2-second bursts. Pour Jameson whiskey in and pulse two more time to combine. Alternatively, place Oreos in a Ziploc and using a rolling pin or meat tenderizer, crush cookies and mix in Jameson whiskey. Measure out 1 tablespoon of Oreo crumb into each well and firmly press Oreo crumbs down.  I found the best way to do this is with my thumbs, after greasing them slightly with olive oil.

Cheesecake

• 5 blocks (20 oz) cream cheese, softened (Not local... Cream Cheese is one thing I have NOT been able to find, and it is something I am going to try to make on my own.  I suppose I could have bought Philadelphia, knowing now what I know about Kraft, but I didn't.  And I won't.)
• 2 cup sugar
• 4 eggs (L)
• 2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 1 cup heavy cream, divided (L)
• 2/3 cups of dark chocolate chips
•  1/2 cup Guinness

Add cream cheese and sugar in a bowl and beat until mixture is smooth. Add eggs and beat on low  until combined. Add vanilla and beat until combined. Add 1/2 cup heavy cream and beat until combined.

Place two thirds of cream cheese batter in one bowl (should be about 5 cups) and add Bailey’s Irish Cream into it. Use a sturdy spatula or a wooden spoon to stir until combined.  You should have about 3 cups remaining.

Add chocolate and remaining heavy cream into a glass bowl, and place over (but not touching) barely simmering water. Allow chocolate to melt, stirring regularly, and and keeping an eye on the water to make sure it doesn't boil.

Allow melted chocolate mixture to cool for five minutes before adding it into the remaining cheesecake batter. Once added, stir until combined and then add Guinness and stir until combined.

Pour chocolate Guinness cheesecake mixture first into the lined, crusted cupcake cups, then pour Bailey cheesecake mixture on top.  You could here swirl the two together, using a toothpick, but I prefer leaving the Bailey's in the center of the Guinness - like it would be if you dropped your shot glass of Bailey's into your half pint of Guinness.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-40 minutes. Let cheesecakes cool on oven rack with oven door open for an hour. Finished cheesecake will have a slightly sunken center.