FUSION FRIDAY: Maracuja No Bake Cheesecake with Bolacha Maria Crust

I don't know how the heck I came up with this, but I'm glad I did.  Please note, this dessert is NO BAKE which means, no kiddies or pregnant women should be eating this :)

Maracuja No Bake Cheesecake with Bolacha Maria Crust

2 packages of Bolacha Maria cookies (the green package one are made in the Azores)
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 14-ounce can (1 1/4 cups) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons of Maracuja Liqour

Directions
Put bolachas in a large resealable plastic bag, and crush them with a rolling pin until very fine crumbs form. Pour crumbs into a medium bowl; stir in sugar. Add butter, and stir until well combined. Press the crumb mixture into a 9-inch springform pan, spreading it 1 1/2 to 2 inches up the side; press flat. Chill crust in freezer at least 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling: Using an electric mixer set at medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the condensed milk a little at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the lemon juice, liqour and vanilla. Pour the filling into the crust; smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Unclasp sides of pan, and remove cheesecake.

It doesn't get much easier than that!  and you don't even have to turn on the oven :)

Enjoy!

Licor De Leite

I grew up in a home where several homemade licors were always fermenting at any given point or time.  It was just a thing we did.  Fruity, creamy, strong, weak, every kind you can think of!
This is fascinating to my husband, who has now declared himself  "O Galo De Licors"  While I'm on this cooking adventure, he has taken up the "make your own home brew" adventure.  Here's one of the latest ones he made :)

Licor De Leite
6 cups of aguardente
5 cups of sugar
4 cups of milk
1-2 vanilla whole beans
1 lemon-grated rind and lemon juice squeezed out
3 bars (8oz) of chocolate-grated

Put your milk and sugar together in a pan until it hits a slow boil.  Make sure you stir to dissolve the sugar.  Once the sugar is dissolved, add in the grated chocolate and the lemon rind.  stir until chocolate dissolves.  once dissolved add in the lemon juice.  This will make the mixture almost instantly curdle, that's ok! 
Take the mixture and pour into a 4 quart jar with a lid (those large style mason jars work awesome for this).  Add in the aguardente and stir.  This will look gross.  There is no other way to explain it.  
Shake the jar daily for 10 days, and then strain into a new jar using a regular strainer.  Once you have taken out a bulk of the "gross" stuff, you will need to strain it again, this time through a large coffee filter.  Using a funnel place the coffee filter inside of it and fill the funnel with enough liquid to almost touch the top of the filter.  Walk away and let it filter through,  this will take a long time.  Continue this process until it's complete. You may then bottle it and place in the fridge.  Just remember to shake it over every couple days to keep its from separating.  The final result should almost look like chocolate milk.  

Did you have any of these licors at your home?  What were your favorites?