Triple Irish Krispie Pie
Hey guys! Are you all pumped up for St. Patrick’s Day? We are. My husband and I are hosting a beer tasting night this weekend featuring my husband’s Irish Stout. So of course, I needed to make something special for our guests. It started out as just Baileys Pecan Rice Krispie Treats, but soon became something else. This Triple Irish Krispie Pie also has a pretzel crust , a Dark Chocolate Guinness Ganache, and it’s topped with a Jameson Whiskey Chocolate Sauce, caramel, and a Baileys Whipped Mascarpone Frosting. If that doesn’t get your taste buds going, I don’t know what will.
Here’s the first layer. A nice, sweet and salty pretzel crust. It’s the same recipe I used for my Sweet & Salty Gingerbread Pie back in December.
This Dark Chocolate Guinness Ganache is truly amazing. It’s made with a reduction of Guinness Draught beer. You boil a whole can down to 1/4 cup to get all the flavor without the alcohol.
This Baileys Rice Krispie Treats layer is based off of my Dark Chocolate Guinness Rice Krispie Treats I made a few years back. It was really hard not to eat them all, straight out of the pot.
To top it off, I made a Jameson Whiskey Chocolate sauce. I just drizzled it over the top and let it pour down the sides. Don’t worry, you can totally swipe your finger on the excess and lick it. You can drizzle a little or a lot, it’s up to you. You can save the extra to add more drizzle to your slices if you like, or just pour it over some ice cream.
We are not done yet. I also wanted to add some caramel. You can use caramel or caramel topping for this. Just drizzle a little or a lot over the top of the chocolate sauce. Other optional toppings are sprinkles, chopped pecans, mini chocolate chips, or crushed pretzels. The toppings will take your pie from “blah” to “ta-da!”, so have fun with it.
You can leave the pie like this or you can add one more decoration, a Baileys Whipped Mascarpone Frosting. I just took my favorite mascarpone frosting and added Baileys. You will not believe how incredibly delicious it is.
You can pipe it on the pie (I used a Wilton #32 tip) or you can just add a dollop to your slice as you serve it. It adds more Baileys flavor to the pie since the dark chocolate ganache kind of takes over the Baileys flavor in the Rice Krispie layer. The frosting is very light, like a whipped cream.
The flavors and textures in this pie come together so well. The salty/sweet crust crumbles as you eat it. The chocolate ganache is so intensely dark, it pairs well with the salt in the crust and the sweetness of the toppings. The Rice Krispie layer adds a nice little crunch to the whole flavor experience. The chocolate whiskey sauce and Baileys whipped frosting just take it over the edge. I wouldn’t change a thing.
I can’t wait to serve this Triple Irish Krispie Pie to my guests this weekend. They are going to love it.
Triple Irish Krispie Pie
by The Sweet Chick
Prep Time: 1-1/2 hr
Cook Time: 1hr + 2 1/2hr chill
Keywords: bake refrigerate dessert snack baileys irish cream guinness beer jameson irish whiskey dark chocolate St. Patrick’s Day bars rice krispie treats American Irish spring
Ingredients (16 slices)
For the crust
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup crushed pretzels
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
For the ganache
- 1 can (14.9 oz.) Guinness Draught beer
- 10 oz. Ghirardelli 60% Cocoa baking chips
- 2 oz. (4 squares) Ghirardelli 100% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate baking bar, chopped
- 4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Rice Krispie treats
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cups mini marshmallows
- 1/4 cup Ghirardelli Classic White baking chips
- 3 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream
- 4 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
For the chocolate whiskey sauce
- 1/2 cup Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons Jameson Irish Whiskey
For the whipped topping
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 oz. mascarpone cheese
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon Baileys Irish Cream
Optional toppings
- caramel
- mini chocolate chips
- chopped pecans
- sprinkles
- crushed pretzels
Instructions
For the crust
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 10 inch round spring-form cake pan with parchment paper and spray the paper and the sides of the pan with non-stick spray ( I used Baker’s Joy).
In a medium bowl combine the flour, crushed pretzels, brown sugar, and baking soda.
Then add the melted butter and mix with a spoon until well combined and mixture in crumbly.
Dump mixture in the bottom of the spring-form pan and pressing with your hands, evenly distribute the mixture.
Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool in the pan.
For the ganache
In a medium saucepan, bring the beer to a boil on medium/high heat. Boil for 20-25 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup. Set aside.
Place chocolate chips, chopped chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Mix cream, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves and liquid is just at a simmer, about 4 minutes.
Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate and butter and let sit for about 2 minutes or so, then gently stir until smooth and glossy.
Pour ganache over the cooled pretzel crust and transfer to the fridge. Chill until set, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
For the Rice Krispie treats
Remove pie from the fridge.
In a medium sauce pan, melt butter and marshmallows over low heat. Stir until completely melted.
Remove from heat and the white chocolate chips. Stir until chips are melted. Then add the Baileys and mix well.
Add Rice Krispies and the pecans. Stir until completely incorporated.
Pour the mixture over the chilled ganache and spread it evenly with a piece of greased waxed paper, pressing down so the mixture adheres to the ganache.
Place the pie back in the fridge for the Rice Krispies to set while you make the chocolate sauce.
For the chocolate whiskey sauce
Place the chocolate chips in a glass measuring cup with a spout. Set aside.
In a small sauce pan, bring cream to a boil over medium heat.
Pour cream over the chocolate and let it sit for about two minutes, then stir with a small spatula or fork until mixture becomes smooth and glossy.
Add whiskey and mix well.
Remove the pie from the fridge and remove the sides of the spring-form pan (I left the bottom on for now).
Place the pie on a sheet of wax paper or on a cooling rack with a sheet of wax paper underneath to catch the drips.
Using the measuring cup, drizzle the sauce over the top of the pie. I did mine in a checkerboard pattern, letting some of the sauce drip down the sides.
Allow the glaze to set for about 10 minutes before adding the caramel. If you are not adding the caramel, add any other optional toppings before the sauce sets.
At this point I removed the bottom of the spring-form pan and the parchment paper. I placed the pie in a serving dish.
For the whipped topping
With a stand mixer on medium to medium/high speed, whisk heavy cream until stiff peaks form (be careful not to overbeat, or cream will be grainy).
In another bowl, blend together mascarpone and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add the Baileys and mix well.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until completely incorporated.
Decorate the top of the pie any way you like. I used a Wilton #32 tip to decorate the edges of the pie. I kept the remaining whipped topping to add to the slices as I served them. You can save the extra topping for your ice cream or just eat it all. Do keep it refrigerated though.
Optional toppings
If you are adding sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, pecans, or pretzel bits, add them before the chocolate sauce sets.
Pretzel crust recipe from Baker’s Royale.
Ganache recipe adapted from Chocolate Ganache Tart from Chow
Chocolate Whiskey Sauce recipe adapted from Chocolate Whiskey Cake by Flour Arrangements
Whipped Topping recipe adapted from Mascarpone Frosting by Martha Stewart.
Churro Macarons
Who else but me would combine Spanish and French desserts into one tasty treat. Ever since I made my Conversation Heart Macarons, I have been thinking up other crazy macaron flavors. With Cinco de Mayo around the corner, I thought a churro flavor would be appropriate. I’ve made Churro Cupcakes, Churro Crepes, Churro Donuts, Churro Puff Pastry, so why not in a French macaron form. Trust me, you are going to like these.
There are really not a lot of ingredients for these macarons, but they do take a bit of time and patience to make. You have to measure, sift, whip, and let sit 30 minutes before you even put them in the oven. They are not an everyday treat, but are great for special occasions. They can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge.
Even though it has cinnamon on the inside, I wanted the macaron to have a coat of cinnamon sugar on the outside. To adhere the sugar, I used a simple glaze. For the filling I was going to do just dulce de leche, but it was a little to rich for me, so I had to come up with another idea. I found a recipe for dulce de leche buttercream that worked out well. It is so good, I just wanted to eat it with a spoon. Of course that wasn’t enough. I still wanted the taste of pure dulce de leche in the macaron so I first added a thin coat of dulce de leche, then topped it with some buttercream before smooshing the two macarons together.
Now I know at this point all you want to do is eat one, but again you have to wait. These Churro Macarons need to sit in the fridge at least 24 hours to acquire their delicious flavor. I tried one on the day I made them and they were a bit hard, but by day 2-3 they were just right. The shell was crunchy and full of cinnamon sugar flavor. The inside of the shell was soft and chewy and the filling was amazing. I will say they are on the sweet side, but these are to be savored not chowed down like a pack of cookies. These are perfect with a cup of coffee, espresso, or cappuccino. Each bite is to be eaten slowly and enjoyed thoroughly. I just ate another one while writing this post and it still tastes phenomenal on day 5. These macarons were totally worth the effort.
Churro Macarons
by The Sweet Chick
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 10-13 minutes
Keywords: bake dessert snack cinnamon dulce de leche egg whites almond flour Cinco de Mayo macarons French Mexican spring
Ingredients (30 macarons)
For the macaron
- 7 oz. powdered sugar,divided
- 4 oz. almond flour/meal, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 large ( 4 oz.) egg whites, room temperature (I used 4 oz. egg whites in a carton)
- 3 1/2 oz. granulated sugar
For the topping
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- 3 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon sugar (store bought or homemade)
For the filling
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup + 5 tablespoons dulce de leche
Instructions
For the macaron
Prepare circle templates (1 1/2 inch circle, 1/2 inch apart) and line baking sheets with parchment paper, placing template under parchment.
In a food processor, pulse 1/3 of the powdered sugar and all the almond flour to form a fine powder. Then sift sugar mixture 2 times.
Sift remaining powdered sugar 2 times also. In a large bowl combine almond flour mixture, remaining powdered sugar and cinnamon.
Add egg whites to stand mixer bowl with whisk attachment. Whisk whites on medium speed until foamy. Then gradually add the granulated sugar. Once all sugar is added, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase mixer speed to high and whisking until stiff, firm, glossy peaks form.
Next sift the powdered sugar mixture 1/3 at a time over the egg white mixture and carefully fold using a large silicone spatula until mixture is smooth and shiny. Repeat process for the remaining 2/3 of the powdered sugar mixture.
Place the macaron mixture into a piping bag with a round tip ( I used Ateco # 804). With piping tip 1/2 inch above the template , pipe 1 1/2 inch circles onto parchment paper lined baking sheets. Once finished gently tap baking sheet on your work surface to release and air bubbles and help form the “feet” of the macarons.
Let macarons stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Go read a book or surf the web.)
During this time, preheat oven to 375°F. Macarons will be ready to bake when they no longer stick to your finger when lightly touched. (Do not forget to remove the template paper before baking.)
When ready, bake the macarons at 375°F for 10-13 minutes (Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn). Rotate baking sheets halfway through to promote consistent baking. Macarons will be ready when they are crisp and firm.
Remove from oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes. Then carefully remove the macarons from parchment paper and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
For the topping
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk to a thin spreadable consistency.
Brush the tops of each macaron with a light coat of glaze and sprinkle with about an 1/8 teaspoon or less of cinnamon sugar each.
Set aside and let the glaze dry.
For the filling
In a stand mixer, beat the butter until fluffy.
Add the powdered sugar and salt and mix until well combined.
Then add 1/4 cup dulce de leche and mix until fully incorporated. Place the mixture in a piping bag or Ziplock bag with the tip cut off.
Using the remaining dulce de leche, spread on thin layer (about a teaspoon or less) on half the macarons.
Then over that, pipe on a bit of the dulce de leche buttercream.
Place the remaining macarons over the filled ones and carefully sandwich together.
Place macarons in the fridge and wait 24 hours before eating. (I know it’s torture, but you can go lick the bowl of buttercream instead.)
Notes
Macarons can be kept sealed in an airtight container up to 1 week in the fridge.
McCormicks does sell a premade cinnamon sugar mix, but if you want to make your own, you can find my recipe here.
For the dulce de leche, I used Gaucho Ranch brand that I found at World Market. I like it because it is thick.
Macaron recipe adapted from Sur La Table Mango Macarons
Dulce de Leche Buttercream Frosting by Cupcake Project
This recipe may be shared at these fabulous link parties.