Rachel’s Cookies and Cream Cheesecake #Ballymaloe

Rachel shares the recipe for her mouth-watering Cookies and Cream Cheesecake from her show Rachel Allen’s Everyday Kitchen

Ingredients

  • For the double chocolate chip cookies
  • makes 20 large cookies
  • 225 g (8oz) butter, softened
  • 325 g (111/2oz) caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 225 g (8oz) plain flour
  • 75 g (3oz) cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 175 g (6oz) dark chocolate (55–70% cocoa solids), chopped into small pieces, or dark chocolate chips
  • For the cheesecake
  • 15 g (1/2oz) cocoa powder, sifted
  • 25 ml (1fl oz) strong coffee, such as espresso
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 500 g (1lb 2oz) mascarpone
  • 400 ml (14fl oz) double or regular cream
  • 50 g (2oz) icing sugar
  • 50 g (2oz) dark chocolate (55–75% cocoa solids), grated, for sprinkling
  • 9-12 of the double chocolate chip cookies
  • 23cm (9in) diameter spring-form cake tin

Method

  • Place the butter in a large bowl and beat until very soft. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Crack in one egg at a time, beating between each addition, then add the vanilla extract. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt, then add the chocolate pieces/chips and fold in to combine. Alternatively, place all the ingredients except the chocolate pieces/chips in a food processor and whiz briefly until they come together, then fold in the chocolate.
  • With wet hands, form the dough into balls each the size of a golf ball (or use two soup spoons to scoop up and shape the same amount of dough). Arrange on the prepared baking sheets, placing 6–7 balls of dough on each sheet and leaving space for the cookies to spread.
  • Bake for 10–14 minutes or until the cookies look slightly cracked on top. (With three baking sheets, you will need to cook them in three batches, or two batches in a fan oven.) Take out of the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes, then remove from the baking sheets using a palette knife or metal fish slice and place on a wire rack to cool down completely.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, coffee, vanilla extract, mascarpone, cream and icing sugar for 1–2 minutes or until thick.
  • Arrange one-third (3–4) of the cookies in the bottom of the cake tin, then spread over one-third of the chocolate cream mixture. Add a second layer of cookies, then another layer of chocolate cream, followed by a final layer of cookies and a final layer of chocolate cream.
  • Use a spatula to smooth the top layer of chocolate cream, then cover the tin with cling film and place in the fridge to chill for eight hours or overnight.
  • To remove the cheesecake from the cake tin, run a small, sharp knife around the cheesecake to loosen the edges, then unfasten the clip and lift away the sides of the tin. Using a palette knife or a metal fish slice, loosen the cheesecake from the base of the tin and carefully slide off onto a plate. Sprinkle with the grated chocolate to serve.

Avonmore Tomato & Basil Soup

avonmore tomato & basil soup

Quick, easy, warming – home warming and delicious

Ingredients

  • 25g Avonmore butter
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • ¼ clove garlic finely chopped
  • ½ tbsp tomato puree
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 900g/2lb fresh vine ripened tomatoes cut in quarters
  • ½ organic chicken stock cube, dissolved in 100ml hot water
  • 85ml Avonmore cooking cream
  • ½ tsp freshly chopped basil
  • Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and stir for 4 minutes over a medium heat without adding colour.

Stir in the tomato puree & the tomato quarters. Add the sugar & stock, cover with a lid, increase the heat and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat and puree the soup with a stick blender or alternatively in a food processor until it is completely smooth. Pass the soup through a sieve.

Return the pureed soup to the saucepan, stir in the Avonmore cooking cream and reheat. Season the soup to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Ladle into warm serving bowls and sprinkle with the freshly chopped basil.

Crispy Baked Hake with Yogurt Tartar Sauce

crispy-baked-hake-with-yogurt-tartar-sauce

Panko breadcrumbs, if available, make the coating extra crispy but they are not essential.

Serves 4

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 hake fillets, approx. 175g each, skinned and boned
  • 25g butter, melted
  • 75g of stale breadcrumbs or Panko breadcrumbs
  • 15g finely grated cheese
  • 1 tablesp. chopped parsley leaves
  • 40g plain flour
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Yogurt Tartar Sauce

  • 150g Greek style yogurt
  • 1 teasp. Dijon-style mustard
  • 1 tablesp. capers, drained and finely chopped
  • 1 small gherkin, finely chopped
  • 1 tablesp. chopped parsley leaves

To Cook

Preheat oven to Gas Mark 6, 200°C (400°F). Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Brush a little of the melted butter over the parchment paper.

Place the breadcrumbs in a shallow dish with the grated cheese and parsley. Place the flour and egg in separate shallow dishes.

Season the hake with a little salt and black pepper. Dip the hake, one piece at a time, into the flour, shake off the excess, then dip into the egg and finally into the breadcrumb mixture. Place on the baking tray. Brush the remaining melted butter over the top and sides of the fish. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Meanwhile make the Yogurt Tartar Sauce:
Place yogurt, mustard, capers, gherkin, parsley, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Mix well to combine.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the sauce with the crispy hake, tender stem broccoli and sautéed potatoes.

Nutritional Analysis per Serving

Protein: 43g 

Carbohydrates: 44g 

Fat: 17g 

Iron: 2.3mg 

Energy: 504kcal 

http://www.bordbia.ie/consumer/recipes/fish/pages/crispybakedhakewithyogurttartarsauce.aspx

Sweet And Moist Greek Honey Cake #HaughtonHoney

greek-honey-cake-1-w450h450

A sticky Greek cake that tastes a little like the much more complicated Greek dessert Baklava

Thanks to Angela for this simple cake recipe that kids just love.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of plain flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon of orange zest
  • 3/4 cup of butter
  • 3/4 cup of white sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 cup of milk
  • 1 cup of chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup of Haughton Honey
  • 1 cup of white sugar
  • 3/4 cup of water
  • 1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 175c/350F. Grease and lightly flour a 9″ square cake tin. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and orange rind. Set this to one side.
  2. In a large bowl mix together the butter and the sugar with a whisk until light and fluffy. Then blend in the eggs one at a time. Gently blend in the flour mixture prepared earlier with the milk and stir in the walnuts.
  3. Pour the batter in to the prepared tin. Place in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes and then cut the cake into diamond shapes before pouring the honey syrup over. Decorate with lemon zest if you wish.
  4. To make the honey syrup combine the honey, 1 cup of white sugar and 3/4 cup of water. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and continue cooking for a further 2 minutes. Keep warm before pouring on to the cake.

Notes for the cook: if you have a fan-assisted oven then reduce the specified temperature in the recipe by about 15% ~ 1 teaspoon = 5ml and 1 tablespoon = 15ml ~ some ingredients are measured in cups and some equivalents are; 150g, 6oz (1/2 cup) = 120ml, 4fl oz

http://www.haughtonhoney.com/our-honey/recipes/sweet-and-moist-greek-honey-cake

Rachel’s Cookies and Cream Cheesecake #Ballymaloe

Rachel shares the recipe for her mouth-watering Cookies and Cream Cheesecake from her show Rachel Allen’s Everyday Kitchen

Ingredients

  • For the double chocolate chip cookies
  • makes 20 large cookies
  • 225 g (8oz) butter, softened
  • 325 g (111/2oz) caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 225 g (8oz) plain flour
  • 75 g (3oz) cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 175 g (6oz) dark chocolate (55–70% cocoa solids), chopped into small pieces, or dark chocolate chips
  • For the cheesecake
  • 15 g (1/2oz) cocoa powder, sifted
  • 25 ml (1fl oz) strong coffee, such as espresso
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 500 g (1lb 2oz) mascarpone
  • 400 ml (14fl oz) double or regular cream
  • 50 g (2oz) icing sugar
  • 50 g (2oz) dark chocolate (55–75% cocoa solids), grated, for sprinkling
  • 9-12 of the double chocolate chip cookies
  • 23cm (9in) diameter spring-form cake tin

Method

  • Place the butter in a large bowl and beat until very soft. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Crack in one egg at a time, beating between each addition, then add the vanilla extract. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt, then add the chocolate pieces/chips and fold in to combine. Alternatively, place all the ingredients except the chocolate pieces/chips in a food processor and whiz briefly until they come together, then fold in the chocolate.
  • With wet hands, form the dough into balls each the size of a golf ball (or use two soup spoons to scoop up and shape the same amount of dough). Arrange on the prepared baking sheets, placing 6–7 balls of dough on each sheet and leaving space for the cookies to spread.
  • Bake for 10–14 minutes or until the cookies look slightly cracked on top. (With three baking sheets, you will need to cook them in three batches, or two batches in a fan oven.) Take out of the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes, then remove from the baking sheets using a palette knife or metal fish slice and place on a wire rack to cool down completely.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, coffee, vanilla extract, mascarpone, cream and icing sugar for 1–2 minutes or until thick.
  • Arrange one-third (3–4) of the cookies in the bottom of the cake tin, then spread over one-third of the chocolate cream mixture. Add a second layer of cookies, then another layer of chocolate cream, followed by a final layer of cookies and a final layer of chocolate cream.
  • Use a spatula to smooth the top layer of chocolate cream, then cover the tin with cling film and place in the fridge to chill for eight hours or overnight.
  • To remove the cheesecake from the cake tin, run a small, sharp knife around the cheesecake to loosen the edges, then unfasten the clip and lift away the sides of the tin. Using a palette knife or a metal fish slice, loosen the cheesecake from the base of the tin and carefully slide off onto a plate. Sprinkle with the grated chocolate to serve.