PRINT ME

Stem Ginger, Hazelnut, Dark Chocolate Baked Drambuie Cheesecake
with Drambuie Poached Pears

-divider-

Crunchy ginger biscuit base, creamy stem ginger and Drambuie baked cheesecake topped with rich dark chocolate ganache and spiced poached pears.

  • Serves
    8
  • Short on time?
    Hack: Top a ready-made vanilla cheesecake with the Drambuie poached pears and dark chocolate ganache.
  • Prepare
    30 minutes.
  • Cook
    1 hour 10 minutes, plus 4 hours or overnight to set.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE DRAMBUIE POACHED PEARS

  • zest and juice of 1 orange
  • seeds of ½ a vanilla pod
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 80ml Drambuie Whisky Liqueur
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 star anise
  • 2 cloves
  • 4 small conference pears

FOR THE GINGER CHEESECAKE BASE

  • 50g hazelnuts
  • 250g ginger biscuits
  • 110g unsalted butter

FOR THE BAKED CHEESECAKE TOPPING

  • 675g full fat cream cheese
  • 130g caster sugar
  • seeds of ½ a vanilla pod
  • 4 large eggs
  • 70g full fat sour cream
  • 50ml Drambuie Whisky Liqueur
  • 4 stem ginger balls, finely chopped

FOR THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING

  • 150g double cream
  • 120ml dark chocolate, very finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp liquid glucose / glucose syrup
  • 15g butter

 

DIRECTIONS

1. First poach the pears. Add the orange zest, juice, vanilla seeds, sugar, Drambuie, cinnamon, cloves, and 450ml water to a wide saucepan. Set over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves then turn up the heat until it begins to simmer.

2. Peel the pears carefully, keeping the stem intact then halve each lengthways. Lower the pears into the simmering liquid, ensuring all pears are covered. Simmer gently for 10 minutes then remove from the heat, cover with a lid and leave at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavours to infuse.

3. Continue with the cheesecake while the pears are poaching. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a 23cm round spring-form tin with baking paper.

4. Tip the hazelnuts onto an oven tray and cook for 5 minutes until lightly toasted and fragrant. Cool completely on the tray.

5. Add the biscuits to a food processor and blitz to fine crumbs. Add the hazelnuts and blitz again until the same size as the biscuit crumbs. Add the butter to a pan set over medium heat, leave to melt, stirring occasionally then set aside to cool before pouring into the biscuit crumbs and blitzing very briefly until combined. Tip into a 23cm spring-from cake tin then press down with the base of a glass. Chill for 1 hour.

6. To make the cheesecake topping add the cream cheese to a large bowl along with the sugar, vanilla seeds and beat until combined. One by one add the eggs, beating between every addition then beat in the sour cream until combined. Pour in the Drambuie and beat briefly until combined then stir in the stem ginger pieces. Pour into the prepared base and place the tin on a baking tray before cooking for 50 minutes. The edge of the cheesecake needs to be set but the centre will have a slight wobble when shaken. Turn the oven off but leave the cheesecake inside for an hour with the door only slightly open before chilling for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

7. For the chocolate topping add the cream and liquid glucose to a saucepan set over a low-medium heat and warm until gently steaming but not boiling. Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl then pour over the warm cream, stand for 30 seconds before whisking to combine then whisk in the butter until melted. Spread over the top of the cheesecake leaving a 2cm boarder. Arrange some of the pears over the top of the cheesecake and serve with the poaching juices.

Cocktails

Drambuie Iced Espresso

-divider-

Dinner with old friends needs a new cocktail. One that reminds us that even after all this time, we can still surprise each other. Because we're not just here to share memories, but to make them.

The Drambuie Iced Espresso, an unforgettable serve that makes for unexpected evenings

Drambuie Iced Coffee

-divider-

For those who prefer their coffee latte or a longer cocktail, this is the perfect cocktail and a little bit more special than serving digestifs and coffee separately. A great conversation starter to extend the enjoyability of your next dinner party.

MORE RECIPES

Christmas Marshmallow Salted

Drambuie Whisky Liqueur after dinner petit four Christmas recipe
Recipe

Drambuie Meringue Christmas Wreath

Drambuie Whisky Liqueur show stopping dessert, for large festive gatherings
Recipe

Cranachan Cheesecake with Drambuie

Cranachan - Traditional Scottish dessert with Drambuie Whisky Liqueur
Recipe

Christmas Gingerbread and Drambuie Roulade

Drambuie Gingerbread Roulade Christmas dessert
Recipe

Tipsy Laird with Drambuie Whisky Liqueur

Tipsy Laird - Traditional Scottish Trifle with Drambuie Whisky Liqueur
Recipe

Drambuie and Cinnamon Puff Pastry Swirls

Drambuie Whisky Liqueur and Cinnamon Puff Pastry Swirls alternative to mince pies.
Recipe

Honeyed Drambuie Mocha Pavlova

Drambuie Chocolate Coffee Pavlova Christmas Party entertaining recipe.
Recipe

Drambuie Espresso Crème Brûlée

Creamy dessert infused with coffee and sweetened with Drambuie Whisky Liqueur for a king of puddings.
Recipe

Christmas Clementine and Drambuie

Classic Christmas flavours combined which will leave your guests feeling truly spoiled.
Recipe

Gluten Free Drambuie Christmas

A delicious gluten-free alternative to a traditional Christmas pudding, with a salted caramel centre.
Recipe

Oozy Pear Butterscotch and Drambuie

Pears with an oozy rich butterscotch sauce, and sweet heather honeyed Drambuie Whisky Liqueur.
Recipe

Toffee Apple, Pear and Drambuie Spiced Crumbles

Toffee Apple, Pear and Drambuie Spiced Individual Crumbles Christmas
Recipe

Gluten-free Chocolate Cake with Drambuie marinated cherries

Gluten free Chocolate Coffee Cake Drambuie marinated Cherries
Recipe

Drambuie Tipsy Laird Cake

Drambuie Tipsy Laird Cake Burns Night Dessert
Recipe

Spiced Drambuie Millionaire's Shortbread

Spiced Drambuie Millionaire's Shortbread Burns Night Dessert
Recipe

Drambuie Ecclefechan Tarts

Drambuie Ecclefechan Tarts, a perfect dessert to serve for Burns Night to celebrate all things Scotland.
Recipe

The Queen's Favourite Chocolate Mousse

According to the Queen's former personal chef, Darren McGrady, Her Majesty was partial to a boozy chocolate mousse.
Recipe

Gluten Free Drambuie Butterscotch

Ginger biscuits, layered with a light and creamy filling, topped with a sweet butterscotch sauce.
Recipe

Shortbread Crusted Apple and Hazelnut Tart

Buttery shortbread crust with frangipane, sultanas and honey caramel.
Recipe

Cinnamon Banana Bread Doughnuts

Cinnamon sugar dusted spiced banana doughnuts filled with Drambuie banana custard and dark chocolate ganache.
Recipe

Scottish Raspberry Cranachan

Layers of airy Drambuie and honey cream, macerated raspberries and sweet crunchy caramelised oats.
Recipe

Sticky Toffee Drambuie

Layers of Drambuie brushed date sponge, Drambuie cream, toffee sauce, vanilla custard and oranges.
Recipe

Stem Ginger, Hazelnut, Dark Chocolate Baked Drambuie Cheesecake

Crunchy ginger biscuit base, creamy stem ginger and Drambuie baked cheesecake.
Recipe

Lemon & Mascarpone Drambuie Tartlets

Encased in a buttery pastry case, the tartlets have a sharpness from the lemon yet ooze sweetness from the mascarpone, honey and notes of Drambuie.
Recipe

Spiced Drambuie Mango Celebration Cake

A fruity and fresh celebration cake with light cream cheese frosting and sweet syrup.
Recipe

Affogato with Orange and Drambuie Ice cream

Make an impact with the homemade Drambuie ice cream and coffee blend, topped with a zesty orange peel.
Recipe

Coffee and Drambuie Meringue Kisses

Delicately infused meringues with whisky liqueur and espresso with a hint of cardamom and honey.
Recipe

Chocolate and Raspberry Drambuie Hard Shake

A grown-up indulgent treat for milkshake lovers, this shake includes a measure of Drambuie for extra richness.
Recipe

Chocolate and Raspberry Mousse Bombe

The ultimate show stopper dessert, fresh raspberries are encased in a rich chocolate Drambuie mousse and chocolate shell.
Recipe

BBQ Drambuie Marinated Strawberries

Simply drizzle the Drambuie mixture over the strawberries, roast them and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Recipe

Drambuie Whisky Liqueur Goat’s Cheese

A delicious alternative to a traditional cheese board, as heather honey and spice notes from the Drambuie pair perfectly with delicate herbs.
Recipe