3 Whisky and Dessert Pairings Perfect for Spring

Take dessert to a whole new level with a compatible whisky, and enjoy as the flavors mix and match. Whisky Advocate recently called on Whiskey Cake Kitchen & Bar, a restaurant with locations in Texas, Florida, and Oklahoma, to make three suggestions for dessert pairings that are perfect for the spring season.

Lime Cheesecake Paired with Auchentoshan Springwood

Complete with a pecan-graham cracker crust, this tangy, creamy cheesecake is the quintessential spring dessert. Whiskey Cake Kitchen & Bar's beverage manager Alan Dean chose Auchentoshan Springwood as the lime cheesecake’s perfect match. Along with some of the traditional flavors you would expect from this scotch, its creamy body and notes of lime zest pair seamlessly with the smooth texture and citrusy flavors of the lime cheesecake.

Crust:

• 1 cup pecans, crushed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

• 2 lbs. cream cheese, softened
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum
• ¾ cup sour cream
• ¾ cup lime juice
• 2 Tbsp. lime zest
• ⅓ cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 3 large egg yolks

Topping:

• ⅛ cup dried hibiscus flowers
• 1 cup cold water
• ¾ lb. blueberries, frozen or fresh
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ Tbsp. lemon juice
• ¼ Tbsp. lemon zest
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum

For the crust:

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Line the outside of a 9” springform pan with foil.

Using a food processor, pulse the pecans until they have the same consistency as the graham cracker crumbs. Transfer the crushed pecans to a stainless-steel mixing bowl with the graham crackers, butter, and sugar, and combine using your hands.

Transfer the crumb mixture to the pan and pack down evenly on the bottom and sides. Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown with a nutty aroma.

For the filling:

Preheat oven to 325°.

Combine the cream cheese, sugar, and xanthan in a mixing bowl. Mix for 5 minutes on medium with a paddle attachment, stopping every 2 minutes to scrape down the bowl with a spatula.

Add the sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, heavy cream, and vanilla. Mix on low for a minute at a time, scraping down the bowl until fully incorporated. Add the egg yolks one at a time and mix on the lowest setting. Stop mixing as soon as the last egg is fully incorporated. Add the custard to the prebaked crust.

Place the springform in a deep roasting pan and carefully fill the pan with hot water to about a ½ inch below the top of the springform. Bake the cheesecake for 25 minutes then rotate and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes or until set with a slight jiggle. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool in the water bath for approximately 1 hour before serving.

For the topping:

In a large sauce pot, boil the hibiscus and water for 5 minutes at a rolling boil. Transfer to a blender and blend on high until smooth. Return the mixture to the sauce pot. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on medium-high for 10 minutes or until the blueberries are tender. Do not over reduce. Chill the sauce in the refrigerator until needed for garnishing the cheesecake.

Strawberry & Lemon Honey Poundcake Paired with Willett Pot Still Bourbon

Nothing says spring like a poundcake soaked in lemon honey syrup. This light and bright dessert, topped with a scrumptious strawberry basil syrup, is the irresistible complement to a pour of Willett Pot Still. Featuring tasting notes of lemon rind, clove honey, vanilla, and a mild herbaceousness, this unique bourbon comes together beautifully with the sweetness of the soaked honey in the cake.

To make this at home, take a store-bought or homemade poundcake, soak it in lemon-honey syrup, and top with strawberry-basil syrup, strawberries, basil, and a dollop of whipped cream.

Lemon Honey Syrup

• 1 cup honey
• 3 lemons, zest and juice

Strawberry Basil Syrup

• 2 cups honey
• ½ Tbsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ cups champagne vinegar
• 1 lb. strawberries, sliced
• ¼ oz. basil, whole (about 12-14 leaves)

In a small pot, heat the honey and lemon juice to a slight simmer. Once the honey comes to a simmer, turn the heat off and add the zest of the lemon to the honey and whisk to evenly distribute. Let the honey mixture sit at room temperature for 3 hours to let the flavor of the zest marry with the honey.

Once cool and time has elapsed, strain honey through a fine mesh strainer to remove zest pieces.

Slice the poundcake, place slices on their side in a single layer on a baking sheet, and evenly distribute 2 Tbsp. of lemon-honey syrup to each slice, letting it absorb to infuse the cake.

For the strawberry basil syrup:

In a pot over high heat, combine all ingredients except basil. Bring to a boil, and boil for 2 minutes while stirring. Add basil to the boiling strawberry mixture, and let the mixture steep for 1 minute.

Pour the strawberry mixture into a strainer over a container. Using a spoon or rubber spatula, push the sauce through the strainer. Once strained, place the container of strained sauce in the refrigerator to cool completely.

Pour the mixture over each soaked slice of pound cake. Top with whipped cream (optional).

Whiskey Cake Paired with Eagle Rare 10 year old Bourbon

Topped with a decadent bourbon anglaise, spiced pecans, and house-made vanilla whipped cream, the restaurant’s namesake dish, Whiskey Cake, pairs perfectly with the classic flavors of Eagle Rare 10 year old. (If you visit Whiskey Cake Kitchen & Bar, try their Eagle Rare 10 year old barrel pick.) The sticky toffee cake is complemented by the toasty vanilla notes of the whiskey for a match made in heaven.

Pair a store-bought toffee or bourbon cake with a full-bodied bourbon that has sweet oaky notes like Eagle Rare 10 year old. With advanced planning, order a Sticky Toffee Cake or this Bourbon Barrel Cake.