PIE #12 - IRISH CREAM

I love getting into the theme of things and with St. Patrick's Day here, a pie featuring Irish Cream liqueur will be magically delicious! A bottle of Irish Cream has been nestled in the back of my basement refrigerator for over a year. This particular bottle was procured by my daughter Kara, and it’s no ordinary bottle. It’s called Black Irish inspired by Mariah Carey, a lassie of Irish and African American descent.

My daughter was born practically dancing into the world. She loved music and would shake her cute little baby booty every time I played any song at home. Her toddlerhood was spent in Okinawa, Japan and one particular day while visiting a local park, we happened upon a children’s music festival. Cartoon characters dressed in full costume were skipping across the stage as dippy music blared over loudspeakers. Kara squiggled out of my arms, bee-lined for the stage and became the center of attention as she bee-bopped to the music.

Fast forward six years to the mid 1990s. While running errands with my kids in Kalispell, Mariah Carey’s song “Fantasy” started playing on the radio. I distinctly remember Kara trying to bust out dance moves while strapped in a seat belt in the front seat of our Chevy Astrovan. I think it was in that moment Kara became a certifiable Mariah Carey fan. And every certifiable fan will travel to see a live concert, which Kara has done. But not every fan will go the extra mile and coordinate matching outfits! 

Now at thirty-five years old, Kara has grown up to be a veritable dancing queen. She will bust out dance moves at the slightest provocation and is renowned for being the first one on the dance floor, getting the proverbial party started. Kara will ALWAYS BE MY BABY, that being a memorable Mariah tune to boot!  And is it no surprise that FANTASY plays on my cell phone every time Kara calls me?

I could hope that if Mariah ever sees this blog entry that features her Irish Cream and my chocolate crust, she would swoon over and croon about this pie’s ingredients. With one slice of its decadent richness, she'd rewrite the lyrics to her hit “WE BELONG TOGETHER” in honor of this pie.

So in honor of St. Patrick’s Day and Mariah’s Irish roots, I present to you Black Irish Cream Pie. On this ONE SWEET DAY, EMOTIONS might run high when you savor a bite! It might induce a jig. And if you eat too much, you might be jiggling!

In keeping with the St. Patty theme and my 50-pie quest, I have penned a limerick just for ye fine lads and bonnie lasses. Don some green garb and recite in your thickest Irish brogue:

It's fun to bake fifty big pies
But one thing I strongly advise
Take care as you sample
The slices are ample
They'll end on your hips and thighs!

CHOCOLATE PASTRY CRUST:

This crust is super easy made in a food processor. I got great results; flaky and flavorful!
1 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cold stick butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-4 tablespoons cold water

In a food processor, combine flour, cocoa, and sugar. Process until well blended, about 15 to 20 seconds. Add butter, turn machine (pulse) quickly on and off until mixture is in fine crumbs. With machine on, add vanilla and cold water, one tablespoon at a time. Process just until dough forms ball. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and flatten into a round disc. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Roll out dough in a 12-inch circle on wax paper. Ease gently into a lightly greased 9-inch pie pan. Trim and flute edge. Prick with fork at 1/2 inch intervals. Freeze 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool before filling.

FILLING:

2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Irish Cream liqueur
1 (1/4 oz.) package unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
Cocoa powder for garnish (optional)

Cream together cream cheese and sugar. Slowly add milk and liqueur to cheese mixture. Sprinkle gelatin on warm water; set aside 5 minutes to soften. Heat on stove or microwave until gelatin dissolves. Add dissolved gelatin to cream cheese mixture. Fold whipped cream into mixture. Pour filling into prepared crust and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Sift cocoa powder on top of pie, if desired. Store leftovers in refrigerator.