Voluptuously sweet and heavily laced with whiskey, homemade Irish cream is an exceptionally satisfying after-dinner tipple. I first began concocting my own the moment I realized that it can be made at home without the usual addition of canned condensed milk (or any of the preservatives which make commercial versions shelf-stable). Much gratitude goes to the very inspiring Alanna Taylor-Tobin, who outlined the method for easily condensing milk and then infusing it with complex flavors in her excellent recipe over at the Bojon Gourmet. My version is slightly adapted, but the premise is the same...all natural ingredients plus homemade sweetened condensed milk makes the very best Irish cream. And it's easier than you think.
A small glass of Irish cream is the perfect curtain call after a generous helping of my Irish stew served with freshly baked Irish soda bread. And it is wonderful not only on St. Patrick's Day, but just about anytime you want something a bit sweet and boozy.
Ingredients for Irish Cream
- whole milk (do not substitute lower fat milk)
- sugar
- vanilla bean
- cacao nibs
- coarsely ground coffee
- sliced almonds
- sea salt
- heavy whipping cream
- Irish whiskey
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Begin by toasting the almonds in a small saucepan over medium heat. (This will only take a few minutes.) Set the toasted almonds aside.
Then split the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds with a small sharp knife.
Combine the milk, sugar, and split vanilla bean (along with the scraped seeds) in a heavy medium-sized saucepan. Bring the milk to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
Continue to simmer the milk, stirring constantly, until the mixture has been reduced to approximately 2½ cups. (As you stir, try to scrape the bottom and sides of the saucepan to help keep the milk from scorching.) This usually takes about 30 minutes.
Once the milk mixture has been reduced, turn the heat down to low and add the heavy whipping cream, toasted almonds, cacao nibs, coffee grounds, and salt. Continue stirring over low heat for about another 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, cover, and allow the flavoring components to steep for about 10 minutes.
Pour the milk mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove all of the used up flavoring components.
Then let the milk mixture cool slightly. (At least 15 minutes.) I find it handy to transfer it into a tall glass pitcher that will hold at least 4 cups at this point.
Once the mixture has cooled, add the whiskey and stir. Then refrigerate. Serve the Irish cream in dainty glasses, either neat or over a couple of ice cubes.
Hint: This is a noticeably boozy drink. If you prefer your Irish cream to be a bit less strong, simply reduce the proportion of Irish whiskey.
Substitutions and Variations
- Toasted Almonds - The almonds are not strictly essential and can certainly be omitted, but they do impart a wonderful hint of nuttiness.
- Vanilla Bean - If you don't have the patience to tackle a vanilla bean, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract (added after the milk is reduced, along with the other flavoring ingredients, instead of at the beginning).
- Cacao Nibs - These can sometimes be hard to find, and you can easily substitute 1 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder if necessary.
- Ground Coffee - If you prefer, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder.
- The Whiskey - I usually go for Bushmills Black Bush here, but the particular brand of whiskey is entirely up to you.
Equipment
It's important to choose the heaviest saucepan that you can find for this recipe. The milk is far less likely to scorch in a heavy bottomed pot.
Storage
Homemade Irish cream must be refrigerated. A glass pitcher (with a lid) is ideal for this purpose, but another good option is to store it in small bottles or jars. (If you notice any clumping of the cream upon storage, simply give it a quick stir.) Irish cream will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month...but it's pretty irresistible, so it hardly ever lasts that long in my house.
📖 Recipe
Irish Cream
Equipment
- medium saucepan with lid (heavy bottomed)
Ingredients
- 1 quart whole milk (do not substitute lower fat milk)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise with seeds scraped
- ¼ cup cacao nibs
- 2 tablespoons coarsely ground coffee
- ¼ cup sliced almonds toasted
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt (generous)
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1½ cup Irish whiskey (Bushmills is good here)
Instructions
- Combine the milk, sugar, and split vanilla bean (along with the scraped seeds) in a heavy medium-sized saucepan. Bring the milk to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Simmer the milk, stirring constantly, until the mixture has been reduced to approximately 2½ cups. (As you stir, try to scrape the bottom and sides of the saucepan to help keep the milk from scorching.) This usually takes about 30 minutes.
- Once the milk mixture has been reduced, turn the heat down to low and add the heavy whipping cream, toasted almonds, cacao nibs, coffee grounds, and salt. Continue stirring over low heat for about another 5 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, cover, and allow the flavoring components to steep for about 10 minutes.
- Pour the milk mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove all of the used up flavoring components and then let it cool slightly. (At least 15 minutes.)
- Once the mixture has cooled, add the whiskey and stir. Refrigerate the Irish cream in a pitcher (with a lid) or small bottles.
- Serve in small glasses, either neat or over a couple of ice cubes.
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