Darina Allen and Rory O’Connell’s Christmas Mincemeat recipe passed down in Myrtle Allen’s family for generations #Ballymaloe

Here are three delicious options, the first is the classic Mincemeat recipe passed down in Myrtle Allen’s family for several generations. Of course, it contains suet so it’s moist and juicy and best eaten hot. The second, Emer Fitzgerald’s Mincemeat is vegetarian, it doesn’t include suet or butter and is also gluten free. The third, Brandy Mincemeat, does not include suet either, but does have butter.

Ingredients

  • 2 cooking apples, e.g. Bramley Seedling
  • 2 organic lemons
  • 450g (1lb) beef suet (see P.00)
  • pinch of salt
  • 110g (4oz) candied citrus peel (preferably homemade)
  • 2 tablespoons Seville orange marmalade
  • 225g (8oz) currants
  • 450g (1lb) sultanas
  • 900g (2lbs) Barbados sugar (moist, soft, dark-brown)
  • 62ml (2 1/2fl oz) Irish whiskey

Method

Makes 3.2 kilos approx. Makes 8-9 pots.

  1. Core and bake the whole apples in a moderate oven, 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4, for 30 minutes approx. Allow to cool. When they are soft, remove the skin and pips and mash the flesh into pulp.
  2. Grate the rind from the lemons on the finest part of a stainless steel grater and squeeze out the juice and stir into the pulp. Add the other ingredients one by one, and as they are added, mix everything thoroughly.
  3. Put into sterilized jars, cover and leave to mature for 2 weeks before using. This mincemeat will keep for a year in a cool, airy place.

A Simply Delicious Christmas with Darina Allen and Rory O’Connell is on RTÉ Player now. Recipe taken from ‘A Simply Delicious Christmas’ published by Gill Books.

Cookery Demo Thursday 7th December at 6pm | Neven Maguire @dunnesstores Cornelscourt

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  • Neven Maguire Cookery Demo Thursday 7th December at 6pm | Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt ⭐️⭐️
    Join us on Thursday 7th December at 6pm for a cookery demo with our Simply Better brand ambassador @nevenmaguire in Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt.
    Neven will be demonstrating some delicious Christmas entertaining recipes, signing cookbooks and we have some fantastic prizes to give away including 5 x €100 @dunnesstores gift cards.
    Meet some our fantastic food producers including Hot Chip Dublin, What’s For Pudding and Taste With Gusto14h

Odlums Chocolate Christmas Pudding

Odlums-Choc-Pudding-Picture1

Ingredients:

For the Pudding:

125g/4oz Odlums Self Raising Flour

125g/4oz  Butter (softened)

125g/4oz Caster Sugar

2 large Eggs (beaten)

1 tbsp Cocoa Powder

125g /4oz Plain Chocolate (melted)

50g Shamrock Pecan Nuts (chopped)

15ml/1tbsp Milk

 For the sauce:

125g/4oz Plain Chocolate, broken into pieces

25g/1oz Butter

30ml/2 tbsp Golden Syrup

 Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2. Butter and line the base of a 900ml / 1 ½ pint pudding bowl with a circle of greaseproof paper or butter wrapper.
  2.  Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat until pale and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs a little at a time (add a spoonful of flour if the mixture begins to curdle).
  3.  Sift together the flour and cocoa powder and fold into the mixture with the melted chocolate, chopped pecans and milk.
  4. Spoon the mixture into the bowl and cover with a round of greased and pleated greaseproof paper tied securely with fine string. Cover with pleated foil.
  5. Steam for 1 ½ hours (see directions below) until the pudding is risen and firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the sponge comes out clean.
  6. For the chocolate sauce, place all the ingredients in a heat-proof bowl, set over a pan of simmering water and leave until melted. Remove from the heat and stir to make a smooth sauce.
  7. Turn the pudding out on to a plate, while warm. Pour over some of the chocolate sauce and serve the remaining sauce on the side. Enjoy!

Chocolate Pudding

 

Odlums Cranberry & Brie tarts for a real festive treat!

odlums cranberry brie tarts

Tasty & savoury, check out our Cranberry & Brie tarts for a real festive treat!

What you need:

Short crust Pastry

  • 225g/8oz Odlums Strong flour – Sieved
  • Good pinch of salt
  • 125g/4oz Butter or Margarine
  • 1 Pinch of Goodalls Rosemary (optional)
  • 2 – 3 Tbsp of cold water

Filling:

  • Jar of Cranberry Sauce
  • 200g Brie Cheese
  • Black pepper

How to:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200c/400F/Gas Mark 6. Lightly grease 2 x 12 shallow bun trays.
  2. Sieve the flour and salt into a large bowl, grate the butter and mix lightly with the tips of the fingers to combine. Add the rosemary (if using) and gradually add small amounts of cold water. Use a knife instead of a wooden spoon as the metal will be colder and will help bring your ingredients together better.
  3. Mix until the mixture forms a dough.
  4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured worktop and lightly knead it.
  5. Dust your rolling pin with a little flour and roll it out until the pastry becomes quite thin as this will rise during baking.
  6. Use a cookie/scone cutter and cut out rounds. Put the rounds into shallow cupcake/bun trays.
  7. Pierce the pastry with a fork before putting them into the oven to bake.
  8. Once you have done this pop the baking tray into the top shelve of the oven for no more than 15 minutes.
  9. After 15 minutes take out the baked pastry so you can fill them. Leave the oven on as these will need to go back in for a further 5 minutes
  10. In each round, place a small dollop of cranberry sauce, topped with a cube of Brie put them back in the oven for 5 minutes. Top shelf and at the same temperature as above.

 To Serve:

Sprinkle with some black pepper and garnish with a little greenery, like parsley or chopped chives. Serve with a side salad. You could also replace the Brie with some Goats cheese.

Cranberry and Brie Mini Tarts