Author: Padraic Guilfoyle

Alcohol is a toxic, addictive drug that can be very damaging to health. Alcohol products, mainly beer, spirits and wine can be marketed without reference to alcohol in the advertising. Alcohol is consumed without restraint or regard for its health consequences.
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Neven Maguire’s Brown Bread Recipe

 

By Neven Maguire Celebrity Chef

Everyone claims to have a great family recipe for wheaten bread. I’ve experimented with a lot of recipes over the years and this is deinitely the best I’ve tasted to date. It has a lovely sweet flavour but is still very much a savoury bread

Ingredients

  • 500 g (1lb 2oz) coarse wholemeal flour
  • 125 g (4 1/2oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 1 tsp bread soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 600 ml (1 pint) buttermilk, plus a little extra if necessary
  • 1 tblsp light brown sugar
  • 1 tblsp melted butter, plus extra butter for greasing and serving
  • 1 tblsp golden syrup
  • 1 tblsp porridge oats

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6) and grease 2 x 900ml (1 1/2 pint) loaf tins.
  • Sift the flours, bread soda and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk, brown sugar, melted butter and golden syrup. Using a large spoon, mix gently and quickly until you have achieved a nice dropping consistency. Add a little bit more buttermilk if necessary, until the mixture binds together without being sloppy.
  • Divide the mixture equally between the prepared loaf tins and sprinkle over the porridge oats. Bake for 1 hour, until cooked through and each one has a slightly cracked crusty top, checking halfway through that the loaves aren’t browning too much. If they are, reduce the temperature or move the loaves down in the oven.
  • To check that the loaves are properly cooked, tip each one out of the tin and tap the base. It should sound hollow. If it doesn’t, return it to the oven for another 5 minutes. Tip out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
  • To serve, place the brown wheaten bread on a breadboard and cut into slices at the table. Hand around with a separate pot of butter for spreading.

Notes

Neven says: Cook it ahead! The beauty of this bread is that it takes so little time to prepare, but you could have everything weighed out and ready to go beforehand, though it’s hardly necessary. However, it can be frozen very successfully.

This recipe and many more are available in Neven Maguire’s The MacNean Restaurant Cookbook, published by Gill & MacMillan Books and available to buy here.

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Shades of Ireland by imelda__rose


imelda__rose
Spent most of today exploring Geopark sites in Cavan. As part of work. Yes. Work! 💚 This is Killykeen Forest Park and it’s just a magical setting with a special, tranquil vibe about it. Not to mention the spectrum of tones and colours in the trees. Happy Out. .
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#thisiscavan #killykeenforestpark #killykeen #macgeopark #thisisntwork #blessedlife #countrysideofficer #geoparklife #crossborderworking #niblogger #irishblogger #theramblingbaker #getoutdoorsmore #irishcountryside #visitireland
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Apple and Hazelnut Streusel Cake @kerrygoldusa

apple___hazelnut_streusel_cake_cropped

This cake can be served warm as a dessert or cold as a teatime treat. It’s delicious with custard, but it would also be good with crème fraîche, clotted cream, vanilla ice cream or whipped cream – the list is endless! If you don’t fancy the apple, try using rhubarb or blackberries, depending on the time of year.

Serves:4

Ingredients:

For the streusel:

4 tbsp plain flour

1oz (2 tbsp) Kerrygold butter, diced, extra to grease

2 tbsp light brown sugar

3 tbsp toasted skinned hazelnuts, finely chopped

For the cake:

5oz (10 tbsp) Kerrygold butter, at room temperature

5oz (2/3 cup) caster sugar

3 eggs, beaten

8oz (11/3 cups) self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

1 dessert apple, peeled, cored and diced (about 175g (6oz) (1 cup))

4oz (¾ cup) toasted skinned hazelnuts, finely chopped

4 tbsp milk

warm custard, to serve

Directions:

Preheat  the oven to 350°F. Butter a 23cm (9in) loose-bottomed cake tin and then  line with a circle of buttered parchment paper.  To make the streusel,  place the flour in a small bowl and rub in the butter, then  stir in the brown  sugar and hazelnuts.

To make the cake, beat  the butter  and caster sugar together with a hand  held electric mixer in a bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs,  a little at a time, adding  one tablespoon of the flour when  you have added about  half of the beaten eggs.  This will stop it from curdling. Sift over the rest of the flour and the baking powder  and cinnamon,  then  mix lightly. Add the apple,  hazelnuts  and milk and fold in until thoroughly combined.

Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin and spread  level. Scatter the streusel in an even layer on top of the cake mixture and bake for 50 minutes  to 1 hour until the sides of the cake have shrunk slightly away from the tin and the streusel topping  is golden  brown.  To test if the cake is done,  insert a fine metal skewer into the middle. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready. Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes set on a wire rack.

To serve, cut the apple and hazelnut  streusel cake into slices and arrange  on plates with the warm custard.

APPLE & HAZELNUT STREUSEL CAKE

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Kerrygold Buttery Irish Potato and Apple Bake

kerrygold_butter_irish_potato_and_apple_bake_with_bacon

Cook:  15 minutes
Serves:  8

Ingredients:
  • 3 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 pounds tart cooking apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
  • 6 slices thick cut bacon, coarsely chopped
  • 6 tablespoons Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter
  • Chopped chives for garnish, optional
Directions:

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water for about 8 minutes or until almost cooked through. Add apples and cook for 5 minutes more or until potatoes and apples are tender; drain well. While potatoes are cooking, heat oven to 400° F and lightly butter an 11 X 7-inch baking dish. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until golden brown and crisp, stirring frequently. Remove with a slotted spoon, then remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat; add Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter to skillet. When butter has melted, add potatoes and apples. Toss well to coat with butter; cook and stir for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat to lightly brown. Transfer to prepared baking dish and top with cooked bacon. Bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chives, if desired.

http://kerrygoldusa.com/recipes/buttery-irish-potato-and-apple-bake-with-bacon/