4 cups (1-1/4 lbs) stemmed, pitted, and halved cherries
1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or bourbon
1 teaspoon orange zest, optional
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar, optional
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, optional
To prepare the dough:
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Use a pastry cutter to cut the Kerrygold butter into the dry ingredients until they are reduced to pea-sized clumps.
The remainder of the mixture should look like a sandy consistency. Pour in the ice water and use the pastry cutter or a large fork to bring the dough together into a shaggy mixture.
Then dump the contents of the bowl out onto a clean counter and work it into a ball of dough. Do not overwork the mixture.
Flatten out the ball into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap.
Place in the fridge to chill for at least two hours and up to a week.
To prepare the galette:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.
Combine the almond meal, ¼ cup sugar, vanilla, and half of the beaten egg in a small bowl into a pasty consistency.
In a separate bowl, combine the cherries, remaining ¼ cup sugar, cornstarch, booze, and zest. Set aside.
Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out onto a floured surface into a 12” circle.
Spread the almond mixture in the center of the circle, leaving a 2” border around the perimeter of the circle.
Dump the cherry mixture on top of the almond filling. Fold the edges of the pie dough up and over the cherries, gently pressing the dough to seal on top of itself as you fold.
Use a pastry brush to brush a thin layer of the remaining beaten egg on top of the dough.
Sprinkle the dough with the turbinado sugar and sliced almonds.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.
If you notice you crust is getting dark and the inside juices aren’t bubbling at all you can make a little aluminum foil shield to cover the dough around the perimeter of your galette.
Allow to cool and set prior to slicing and serving with ice cream!
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.
For the base 1 & 2/3 cups of Flahavan’s Rolled Oats 1 cup of toasted hazelnuts 1/2 cup of butter, plus extra for greasing the tin 1/3 cup of soft brown sugar 1 tbsp honey
For the cheesecake topping 1 & 1/3 cups of good quality white chocolate, broken into pieces 1 & 1/4 cups of sour cream 1 cup of cream cheese 1 tbsp lemon juice
To decorate 2 tbsp Flahavan’s Rolled Oats 2 tbsp hazelnuts, roughly halved 3 tbsp soft brown sugar ½ tsp lemon juice 3/4 cup of berries of your choice – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, redcurrants or blackberries 1 ripe fig A few thinly sliced grapes
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 320°F. Grease a 9-inch, round, straight sided tart tin with removable base and line the base with a circle of baking parchment. In a small saucepan, melt the butter, honey and sugar for the cheesecake base over a low heat stirring until combined. Leave to cool a little.
Meanwhile, place the hazelnuts in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped. Mix the Flahavan’s Oats with the hazelnuts and stir in the melted butter mixture until fully combined. Press the mixture into the prepared tin using the back of a spoon and push evenly up the sides to form the crust.
Place the cheesecake base in the oven for 15 mins. Once baked, remove from the oven and smooth over the mixture again with the back of a spoon pushing the mixture up the sides again if it has slipped down. Place the tin in the fridge to cool completely (this should take around 30 minutes).
When the base is cool, make the cheesecake filling by melting the chocolate in a heat proof bowl set over a pan of hot water (making sure the base of the pan does not sit in the water). Once melted, leave to cool for 10 minutes – the chocolate should be liquid but not too hot.
In a mixing bowl whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and cream cheese until fully combined. Next, add in the melted chocolate and whisk.
Pour the filling over the cooled base and, using a small spatula, spread it into a smooth, even layer. Place the cheesecake in the fridge for around 6 hours, until completely set.
To decorate, start by toasting the remaining Flahavan’s Oats and hazelnuts in a small frying pan over a medium heat, moving them around the pan for approximately 3 minutes, until completely toasted and golden brown. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice, and cook for around 1 minute until fully melted and combined. Tip onto a plate and leave to cool. Remove the tart from the tin by gently heating the edges to release it – you can do this with a cloth soaked in a little hot water – and slide the tart onto a serving plate. Gather together the berries, figs and toasted Oats and arrange as you please. Slice into wedges to serve, and enjoy
Put the tofu, ground star anise, vanilla seeds, treacle and agave syrup into a large bowl and blend with a hand blender until silky smooth.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof glass bowl sat over a saucepan of simmering water, being careful not to let the bowl touch the water. Fold into the tofu. Spoon the mixture between 4 glasses and refrigerate until set.
To make the honeycomb, line a baking tray with baking paper. Put the sugar, glucose and golden syrup into a deep saucepan and heat until it reaches 145C. (This should take about 5 minutes). Quickly whisk in the bicarbonate of soda. Be careful as the mixture will bubble up very suddenly. Quickly pour onto the lined baking tray. Set aside to cool and harden.
To make the apricots, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the apricots and star anise and cook until the apricots start to caramelise. Sprinkle over a pinch of sugar and leave to cool.
To serve, sprinkle the toasted almonds on top of the mousse and serve with the apricots and peices of honeycomb.
Watch our Simply Better brand ambassador @nevenmaguire prepare this delicious Lemon Posset with Macerated Strawberries using our Simply Better Irish King Strawberries from @clarkesfreshfruit and our Irish Jersey Cream from @thevillagedairy. Shop the ingredients in your local @dunnesstores and find the full recipe below:
Ingredients (Serves 4) 4 Simply Better Handmade Irish Butter Shortbread, to serve 600ml Simply Better Irish Jersey Cream 100g Caster Sugar Juice & Rind of 1 Lemon 1 Large Passion Fruit 1 Vanilla Pod, seeds only
For the Macerated Strawberries 1 Punnet of Simply Better Irish King Strawberries 2 Tbsp Simply Better Wexford Blackcurrant & Lime Cordial 1 Tsp Simply Better Balsamic Vinegar of Modena 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract 1 Tbsp Chopped Basil or Mint
Method 1. To make the lemon posset, place the cream in a saucepan with the sugar, vanilla pod seeds, passion fruit seeds, lemon rind and juice. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes then transfer to a jug. 2. Pour into 4 stemmed glasses and place in the refrigerator to set overnight. 3. To prepare the macerated strawberries, quarter the strawberries and combine in a bowl with the balsamic vinegar, cordial, vanilla and mint or basil. Leave to infuse, overnight is best. 4. To serve, spoon some of the macerated strawberries over the lemon posset and serve with a shortbread biscuit.1d
Cheat’s No Churn Vanilla & Sea Salt Ice-Cream with Roasted Frozen Berries and Grated White Chocolate | Summer ending doesn’t mean ice cream is off the menu and this straightforward method of making this ice cream might just convince you to take the plunge and make your own. Even if you don’t, and use shop bought, the trick of roasting frozen berries with a sprinkle of grated white chocolate will make you wonder why you haven’t been doing this for years, with ingredients as always from @dunnestores 🍦🍓 Give it a go this weekend!
Serves: 4 Time: 35 mins + overnight freezing time
For the ice cream: 2 vanilla pods, split in half, seeds scraped 200g condensed milk 600ml double cream 2 tsp flaky sea salt
For the roasted frozen berries: 300g frozen mixed berries 3 tbsp caster sugar 1 tbsp cornflour Juice of a lemon
To serve: 100g white chocolate, grated
1. Put the condensed milk, cream and vanilla pods & seeds into a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, whisk the mixture until thickened and stiff peaks form. Gently stir in the sea salt and spoon into a large loaf tin or large glass lunch box with a lid, cover and freeze overnight or until solid. 2. When you are about 25 minutes away from serving, preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan /350°F/Gas Mark 4. 3. Add the berries to a deep tray with the caster sugar, cornflour and lemon juice. Mix well to combine, add to a baking tray and transfer to the oven to roast for 15 minutes, stirring halfway, until the berries are broken down, glossy and juicy. 4. Remove the berries from the oven and allow to cool slightly then serve the ice cream into bowls. Top with the slightly warm berries then drown everything in the grated white chocolate.1d
Watch our brand ambassador @nevenmaguire prepare this delicious Ginger & Lime Baked Cheesecake. Find the full recipe below:
Ginger & Lime Baked Cheesecake with Irish Strawberry Compote Ingredients (Serves 6-8) For The Base: 2 Packs of Simply Better Handmade Oat & Ginger Cookies, crushed 75g Butter, plus extra for greasing For The Compote: 1 Bag of Simply Better Expertly Grown Frozen Irish Strawberries 250ml Simply Better Handmade Irish Raspberry & Wexford Rhubarb Cordial For the Filling: 3 Simply Better Free Range Corn Fed Large Eggs 500g Cream Cheese 100g Caster Sugar 1Tbsp Cornflour Finely Grated Rind and Juice of 2 Limes 1 Vanilla Pod, split in half lengthways and seeds scraped out To Serve: Simply Better Single Source Irish Jersey Cream, lightly whipped Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 160°C Lightly butter a 9inch loose-bottomed cake tin and line with non-stick baking or parchment paper. 2. To make the base, melt the butter in a pan set over a gentle heat. Add the crushed cookies and mix well. Spread the mixture over the base of the tin, pressing down with the back of a spoon to flatten. Place in the oven for 10 minutes to firm up. 3. Remove the tin from the oven and set aside. Place a dish of hot water in the oven on the bottom rack – this will stop a skin forming on the cheesecake. Place the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, lime rind and juice, vanilla seeds and cornflour in a mixing bowl and beat together until smooth with an electric whisk. 4. Pour this mixture into the cake tin and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 35-45 minutes until lightly golden. The filling should still be a bit wobbly at this stage. Turn off the oven, open the door and leave to cool completely. The filling will set as it cools. 5. To make the compote, place the leftover vanilla pod in a saucepan with the cordial and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes until reduced and slightly thickened. Place the strawberries in the pan and poach the berries for 2-3 minutes until softened but still holding their shape. Remove the vanilla pod before serving. 6. To serve, slice the cheesecake into wedges and serve with some cream and the poached strawberries.
You will have just as much fun making and dusting this cake as you will eating it. This deliciously simple recipe comes from Rachel Allen.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
100g (3½oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
350g (12oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
225g (8oz) plain flour
50g (2oz) cocoa powder
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
225ml (8fl oz) buttermilk or sour milk
For the Meringue:
3 egg whites
150g (5oz) caster sugar
275ml (9½fl oz) double or regular cream
Icing sugar, for dusting
Method
Preheat the oven to 165°C (325°F), Gas mark 3. Line the bases of the cake tins with rounds of baking parchment, brush the sides with melted or soft butter and dust with flour.
To make the cake, place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat until very soft. Add the sugar and one of the eggs and beat again, then add the other egg and mix. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a separate bowl and set aside. Measure the buttermilk and set aside also.
Now, start the meringue. Place the egg whites in a bowl and whisk until frothy using an electric food mixer or hand-held electric beater. Add in half of the sugar and continue whisking until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Turn off the whisk and fold in the remaining sugar.
Next, go straight back to the cake. Fold in the sifted dry ingredients and the buttermilk, then divide the mixture between the two cake tins, making sure they are level. Divide the meringue between the two cakes and spread out evenly over the cakes.
Cook in the oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Take out of the oven and allow to sit in the tin for 15-20 minutes before loosening around the sides with a small, sharp knife, removing the cakes from the tins and allowing to cool completely meringue side up.
When ready to assemble, whip the cream until it just holds stiff peaks, then place one of the cakes (save the best cake for the top) on a cake stand. Spread the whipped cream over the top, then sit the second cake on top of the cream. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
Foodaware 