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MURDER AT THE BLARNEY BASH is the fifth book in the Beacon Bakeshop Mysteries by Darci Hannah. I’ve been a longtime fan of this series, but this newest release is my favorite of the bunch! What could be better than leprechauns, shamrock cookies, an Irish Uncle Finn—owner of the Blarney Stone gift shop and pub—who’s blessed with the gift of gab, and a pot of gold?! Ms. Hannah brings all the wonderful elements of St. Patrick’s Day traditions, legends, food, and drink to the pages, making me want to pack my bags and head to Beacon Harbor for their celebration. Her creative storytelling prowess makes me believe she might have kissed the Blarney Stone a time or two as well. To sweeten the story even more, the charming protagonist, bakeshop owner Lindsey Bakewell, and her posse of friends, are so inviting that it’s almost easy to forget that this is a murder mystery. Still, she manages to weave in the dastardly deed without taking away from the festivities.
There is a mild paranormal element to this series, so when a leprechaun appears in Beacon Harbor and assaults someone, I was convinced they existed. Adding to the mystical intrigue, Uncle Finn finds a pot of genuine gold after following the leprechaun late one night. Unfortunately for the leprechaun, he became a victim of murder shortly after his gold was taken. Ms. Hannah spins a tightly plotted tale that kept me engrossed throughout the entire book. The twists and turns kept me guessing with suspects uncovered as Lindsey investigates with the help of her friends. In the end, the book was so much fun to read, I stopped trying to figure it out and instead, sat back and enjoyed the ride!
Lindsey and the gang fully embrace the food and fun of the St. Patrick’s Day festivities. There are all sorts of yummy treats she prepares for the townspeople, and I wanted to sample all of them. There are several recipes at the back of the book to try at home and I couldn’t wait to dig in and eat the Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake. OMG! Best dessert ever!!! Oreo crust, rich and creamy cheesecake flavored with Baileys, and a chocolate ganache topping, also flavored with Baileys (which I honestly just wanted to eat by the spoonful). It just doesn’t get any better than that! I made the cheesecake for our Christmas dessert but ran out of time to photograph it before my guests arrived. The photos I took, all while my guests were patiently waiting for me to serve dessert—or at least pretending to be patient—were au naturel, with no special lighting or props. I have to thank my granddaughter for jumping in to help “model” the cheesecake, and to speed up the photography session so we could eat dessert!
Amazon Synopsis
Follow the aroma of shamrock sugar cookies to the Beacon Bakeshop, a lighthouse on the shores of Lake Michigan where amateur sleuth Lindsey Bakewell is busy preparing for Beacon Harbor’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities – with a little help from her adorable Newfoundland, Wellington, of course!
Lindsey is baking up a storm—shamrock sugar cookies, Guinness chocolate cupcakes, Irish soda bread—for the well-timed grand opening of the Irish import gift shop, the Blarney Stone, owned by her boyfriend’s uncle, Finnigan O’Connor, recently relocated from the Emerald Isle.
But it’s Uncle Finn himself who seems full of blarney when he gleefully reveals a pot of real gold he claims he stole from an actual leprechaun. And Finn’s fortune takes a turn for the worse when he’s arrested for the bludgeoning of a small unidentified man dressed as a leprechaun—the murder weapon alleged to be his now-missing shillelagh.
Eccentric Uncle Finn may enjoy believing he’s outwitted a leprechaun, but he would never be so deluded as to clobber one with his walking stick. Now Lindsey will need more than the luck of the Irish to seize a golden opportunity to catch the real killer . . .
A special thanks to Darci Hannah for providing a signed print copy of MURDER AT THE BLARNEY BASH! Contest ends January 28, 2024 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)
Prep time: 30 minutes. Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes. Inactive time: 6 hours.
- 1 regular full-size package of Oreo cookies (36 sandwich cookies)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 8-ounce packages full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or strong instant coffee
- 1 tablespoon of hot water (to dissolve espresso powder)
- 1/2 cup Baileys Irish Cream liqueur
- 6 ounces (1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup Baileys Irish Cream
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Prepare a 9-inch springform pan for the water bath by covering the outside of the pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil on the bottom and halfway up the sides. You want to make the pan as watertight as you can. Lightly spray the inside of the pan with non-stick cooking spray.
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Put Oreo cookies in a food processor and reduce to fine crumbs. You may have to do this in smaller batches.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the cookie crumbs with the melted butter and mix well. Press the mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and halfway up the sides. Bake crust for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
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Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees (F).
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Add the softened cream cheese and the sour cream in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until completely smooth. Add in the sugar and continue to beat until smooth, scraping sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Next add the eggs and the egg yolks and continue to beat until smooth and velvety.
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In a small bowl mix the instant espresso powder with hot water and stir until completely dissolved. Next, stir in the Baileys Irish Cream until combined. Gently fold this mixture into the cream cheese mixture until combined. Pour the filling on top of the partially baked crust.
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To make the water bath, place the springform pan in the middle of a large roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with an inch of hot water and place in the oven. Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
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Once the cheesecake has been baked, turn off the heat and leave the cheesecake in the oven, allowing it to sit undisturbed for an additional 40 minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and gently run a sharp knife around the edge of the cake. Allow to cool for 30 minutes, then remove the springform ring. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
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One hour before serving the cheesecake, make the ganache. Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, gently heat the cream until it begins to bubble along the edges. Pour the cream on top of the chocolate chips and let sit for 1 minute. Using a whisk, incorporate the chocolate into the cream and whisk until smooth and glossy. Whisk in the Bailey's Irish Cream. Let the mixture cool completely before pouring over the cheesecake.
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Return the cheesecake to the refrigerator for one more hour. Once the ganache has set the cheesecake is ready to serve. Enjoy!
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I melted about a 1/4 cup of chocolate chips in the microwave (low and slow with lots of stirring) then piped the chocolate into star shapes. After chilling in the refrigerator to set, I dusted the flat side with gold luster powder mixed with a bit of vodka before arranging them on top of the cheesecake.
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Feel free to freeze any leftover cheesecake. I wrapped the few leftover pieces individually in plastic wrap then placed in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag. When you're ready to eat, unwrap the piece and place on a plate for 15 minutes... or it tastes just as good while frozen!
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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Wicked good stuff!
Thank you! This cheesecake is beyond decadent! Kim’s looks sooo much better than mine!!
Sounds like a good read
I hope you enjoy the book. It’s full of St. Patrick’s Day fun! Good luck!
Sounds like fun to read.
Thank you for the delicious sounding recipe! To me there’s nothing better than a cheesecake.
Greatly appreciate the chance to win a copy of MURDER AT THE BLARNEY BASH. It’s on my TBR list and I can’t wait to read and review it.
Thank you for putting on your TBR list! I think you’re going to love it. And for the record, that cheesecake is so delicious!
I love her recipes and the characters in her book. I also love Bailey’s Irish Cream!
Sounds wonderful and looks amazing!
Thank you for your recipe and book giveaway!!!🥰
I really enjoy this series, and I have this one on my list to read!
Can’t wait to read it!