Ricotta adds an interesting texture here, and the saffron makes it wonderfully fragrant.
Serves 6
500ml/17 fl oz whole milk
1 tsp of saffron threads
5 egg yolks
200g/7oz sugar
250ml/8½ fl oz double cream
500g/1lb 2oz ricotta
2 tbsp honey, plus extra to serve
2 handfuls of toasted pine nuts, to serve
Bring the milk and saffron to a simmer and keep warm.
In a large bowl, combine the yolks and sugar and beat until pale.
Add half the warm milk to the egg mixture and whisk again until combined. Pour the mix into the saucepan along with the remaining warm milk. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens into a custard and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and whisk in the double cream, followed by the ricotta and the honey, until blended.
Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Serve sprinkled with toasted pine nuts and a little extra honey.
A quick and easy no-bake strawberry cheesecake. Made with cream cheese, cream and Keelings strawberries… it will soon be a family favourite!DifficultyBeginner
Fruit TypeStrawberriesPrep Time20 minsCook Time20 minsTotal Time40 mins
Ingredients
For the base
250 g digestive biscuits
100 g buttermelted
For the filling
10 Keeling’s strawberriessliced
250 g Keeling’s strawberrieshulled
100 g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
600 g full fat cream cheese
275 ml double cream
To decorate
Keeling’s strawberriessliced
Directions
1
Line the bottom of a 20cm (8 inch) round springform cake tin with parchment paper.
As the thrill of international sports betting beckons to enthusiasts around the world, the flavors of Ireland offer great entertainment in the form of a delicious no-bake Irish Strawberry Cheesecake. While punters place bets on global sporting events via online platforms, the rich, creamy cheesecake with the sweet flavor of ripe strawberries tempts the taste buds. This culinary delight, with its soft texture and burst of fruity freshness, provides a welcome respite for players navigating the high stakes and uncertainty of international betting sites. Amidst the excitement of odds and predictions, enjoying a slice of this decadent dessert serves as a great reminder of life’s simple pleasures. As the virtual world of online betting brings together players from all over the world, the essence of Ireland’s culinary heritage is reflected in the form of a delicious Irish no-bake strawberry cheesecake.
2
For the base, blend the digestive biscuits in a food processor until ground to fine crumbs.
3
Pour crumbs into a bowl and add the melted butter. Mix together until all the crumbs are coated.
4
Spoon mixture into prepared tin and press down firmly until evenly spread. Chill in the fridge to set, about 20 minutes.
5
For the filling, arrange a ring of about 10 sliced Keelings strawberries around the edge of the baking tin.
6
Combine 250g Keelings strawberries, icing sugar and vanilla in a food processor, blend to a smooth puree. Add the cream cheese and blend until smooth, then add the double cream and blend until mixture thickens – the batter should be thick enough that it can’t be poured out (about 2-3 minutes).
7
Spoon batter over prepared base and smooth the top with a spatula. Leave to chill and set in the fridge overnight.
8
To un-mould, run a sharp knife around the sides of the cheesecake then unclip and remove the outer ring of the cake tin. Gently work a spatula underneath the base and then slide the cheesecake onto a serving plate.
9
Decorate with slices of fresh Keelings strawberries.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
Pancake Tuesday is only one week away! Watch our brand ambassador @nevenmaguire show you how to prepare these delicious Buttermilk Pancakes with a range of Simply Better toppings using our Handmade Toffee Sauce from @whatsforpudding.ie our Mixed Berry Preserve from @wexford_preserves and our Frozen Irish Strawberries from @clarkesfreshfruit Shop the Simply Better Collection in your local @dunnesstores
Simply Better Pancake Board Ingredients (Serves 4) 2 Simply Better Free Range Corn Fed Large Eggs 2 Cups (250g) Plain Flour 2 Tbsp. Caster Sugar ½ Tsp Baking Powder ½ Tsp Baking Soda 2 Cups (480ml) Buttermilk Pinch of salt 40g Butter, melted plus an extra 10g for frying the pancakes To Serve: For the Blueberry Sauce: 100ml Simply Better Organic Grade A Canadian Maple Syrup 1 Punnet of Fresh Blueberries Juice and zest of half a lime 1 Tsp Cornflour, mixed with cold water (Optional) For the Mixed Berry Compote: 1 Bag of Simply Better Expertly Grown Irish Strawberries 1 Jar of Simply Better Handmade Mixed Berry Preserve 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract For the Caramelised Bananas: Simply Better Handmade Sea Salted Toffee Sauce 3 Bananas 100g Pecan Nuts Method: 1. Place all of the pancake ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before using. 2. Add the butter to a pan over medium low heat. Once the butter begins to bubble, add ⅓ cup (80 ml) of batter to the pan. 3. Cook until the top side begins to bubble and the bottom is golden brown. Flip the pancake and cook until the underside is golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter. 4. To make the blueberry sauce, add the maple syrup, lime juice, zest and blueberries to a saucepan and simmer over a medium heat. For a slightly thicker sauce, add the cornflour to the sauce and cook through for 1-2 minutes. 5. To make the fruit compote, add the frozen mixed berries, berry preserve and vanilla to a saucepan and simmer over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes. 6. To make the caramelised bananas, heat the toffee sauce in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Slice the bananas and add to the sauce pan along with the pecan nuts. Toss to combine.
Neven Maguire is shortlisted for the Bookselling Ireland Food and Drink Book of the Year in the An Post Irish Book Awards. You can vote at irishbookawards.ie.
Ingredients
Give this classic Italian dessert a twist with a delicate creamy vanilla flavour and a fresh strawberry topping. It’s the perfect dessert for a chilled summer gathering. If you want to make it less rich, simply replace 200ml of the cream with milk.
Serves 4
1 vanilla pod
3 sheets gelatine 600ml cream 100g caster sugar
300g large strawberries (preferably Pat Clarke’s)
½ lemon
2–3 tsp icing sugar, to taste
Method
To make the panna cotta, split the vanilla pod in half and scrape out the seeds . Put the gelatine sheets into a bowl of cold water and leave them to soak for 5 minutes . Put the cream, caster sugar and vanilla seeds into a pan, and slowly bring up to the boil, whisking continuously . Take the pan off the heat . Take
the gelatine out of the water, gently squeeze out the excess water and add to the cream mixture, whisking continuously until it has dissolved . Strain the mixture through a sieve into a measuring jug .
Divide the mixture equally between 4 x 200ml dariole moulds or ramekins, place them on a baking tray and leave them to set in the fridge for at least 3 hours or up to 2 days .
Choose the 4 nicest strawberries for decoration, then cut them in half with the stems intact . Remove the stalks from the remainder, then add to a blender with a squeeze of lemon juice and icing sugar to taste – the amount will depend on how sweet the strawberries are . Blitz to a smooth purée, then pass through a sieve into a jug .
To serve, leave at room temperature for 15 minutes, then turn each panna cotta upside down on to a serving plate . If it won’t drop out, carefully dip the mould briefly into a bowl of warm water to loosen it . Serve with a drizzle of the strawberry compote and the sliced fresh strawberries .
Serve after … Panna cotta is a brilliant stand-by dessert because it’s quick and simple enough to make in the morning . I leave it to set in the fridge and serve after Fragrant Butterflied Lamb (p .69) with a large bowl of the best strawberries in Ireland . Pat Clarke has been delivering me strawberries for years, and their flavour is sensational.
rachelallencooks Verified Happy Sunday! This Divine Rich Chocolate Cake recipe is from my 2nd cookbook, Rachel’s Favourite Food For Friends (published in 2005), that I come back to time & time again. This is a super quick to make and completely delicious cake that’s a bit brownie-like, a bit moussey-like, and can be made using ground almonds or flour, so super versatile. And, it keeps for ages, if you can keep it! I made 2 this morning, one for home and one for a friend’s (belated) birthday! Here’s the recipe below! Serves 6-8 A little soft butter, for greasing the tin 150g dark chocolate, chopped 125g butter 150g caster sugar 3 eggs, whisked to break up 50g ground almonds or plain flour
For the Chocolate Glaze: 110g dark chocolate , chopped 2 tbsp milk or cream 50g butter
Preheat the oven to 160’C/Fan 145. Butter the sides of a 20cm round cake tin (or spring form tin ) and line the bottom with grease proof or parchment paper. Place the chocolate, butter and sugar in a bowl sitting over a saucepan of simmering water, and melt. Stir until smooth then beat in the eggs and fold in the ground almonds or sifted flour. Feel free to add orange zest, vanilla, sea salt, cardamom, ginger etc! Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 35-45 minutes until the centre feels just set in the centre, but it will still be gorgeously moist. Allow to cool in the tin . To make the chocolate glaze , melt all the ingredients together and stir until smooth, allow to cool a little until it has thickened slightly ( about 10 minutes) but do not place in the fridge as it will lose it’s glossy sheen . Take the cooled cake out of the tin and place on a plate or cake stand , and pour the glaze over the top , letting it drizzle down the sides. #baking#rachelallencooks#chocolatecake#glutenfree1d
This dessert looks so impressive that it’s hard to believe that you’ve actually made it yourself with such little effort. It can be made up to 1 month in advance, leaving nothing for you to do on the day.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 x 100g (4oz) bar of plain chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces
150g (5oz) white chocolate, broken into pieces
225ml (8fl oz) cream
1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthways and seeds scraped out
1 large egg white
2 tsp icing sugar
good-quality cocoa powder, to dust
fresh raspberries, to serve
To Cook
Use a little water to dampen a 450g (1lb) loaf tin (the more square shaped, the better), then line with a double layer of cling film. Line 2 large baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.
Melt the plain chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Spoon half the melted chocolate onto each sheet of baking paper and spread it out to the edges in a thin layer. Put in the fridge for about 30 minutes to set.
Melt the white chocolate and 5 tablespoons of the cream in a separate heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Once melted, give it a good stir and set aside to cool.
Whip the rest of the cream in a large bowl with the vanilla seeds until the cream is just holding its shape, then fold in the cooled melted white chocolate.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white and icing sugar until stiff peaks have formed, then fold into the white chocolate mixture.
Carefully peel the plain chocolate from the baking paper and break it up into pieces.
Place a couple spoonfuls of the whipped cream mixture into the prepared loaf tin and cover with a layer of the plain chocolate pieces. Repeat the layers until the loaf tin is filled up, finishing with a layer of whipped cream. Cover the top with cling film and freeze overnight (or up to 1 month). Any remaining pieces of plain chocolate can be put into a freezer-proof container and frozen separately to use for decoration.
About 1 hour before serving, transfer the loaf tin and reserved chocolate decoration to the fridge.
Serving Suggestions
To serve, carefully turn out onto a serving plate and peel away the cling film. Break up the reserved plain chocolate into small jagged pieces and use to decorate the top. Add a light dusting of cocoa powder and put straight on the table. Cut into slices and arrange on plates with some raspberries
½ vanilla pod, split in half and seeds scraped out
300ml milk
100ml cream
To Cook
To make the pastry: Sift the flour and icing sugar into a bowl. Using a round-bladed knife or the tips of your fingers, work in the butter and then mix in the egg yolks. Add the ice-cold water until the dough just comes together. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F/gas mark 5). Lightly dust the work surface with flour.
Divide the pastry into 2 portions, one slightly larger than the other, then roll out the larger piece until it is about 30cm in diameter. Use to line a 20cm pie dish or a 23cm flat plate, gently pressing into the corners. Trim the edges with a knife and reserve the excess for decorating. Place back in the fridge to chill while you prepare the apples.
Peel, core and slice the apples. Place in a large bowl with all but 1 tablespoon of the caster sugar. Add the cinnamon and cloves and mix together. Brush the edge of the pastry with a little milk and then pile the apples into the lined pie dish. Roll out the second piece of pastry into a circle slightly larger than the pie dish and use to cover the apples. Press the edges together to seal, then use a sharp knife to cut away any excess.
Crimp the edges of the tart with a round-bladed knife, using your fingers as a guide. If you wish roll out the pastry scraps and cut into leaf shapes. Brush the shapes with milk and stick on top of the pie. Brush the entire top of the pastry with milk and sprinkle over the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4) and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
Meanwhile, to make the custard, place the egg yolks in a large bowl with the sugar and vanilla seeds. Whisk with an electric mixer for a few minutes, until pale and thickened.
Place the milk and cream in a medium pan and bring to the boil, then immediately remove from the heat. Gradually whisk the heated milk and cream into the egg yolk mixture until smooth, then pour back into the pan and place over a gently heat. Cook gently for 6-8 minutes on a medium heat, stirring constantly, until the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon. Keep warm.
Serving Suggestions
To serve, cut the warm apple tart into slices and arrange on warmed serving places with some of the custard. Pour the remaining custard into a jug and hand around separately.
If you really want to show off to your guests, a gas gun or small propane torch can be used, with care, to glaze the top. If you don’t fancy using apricot jam as a glaze try marmalade or lemon curd instead. To make it even more delicious try making it with day-old croissants or brioche.
Ingredients:
6 tbsp(3oz) Kerrygold Salted Butter, softened, extra for greasing
4 eggs
1 cup (8fl oz) milk
1 cup (8fl oz) cream
finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out
6 tbsp caster sugar
9oz sliced white bread (about 9 slices)
½ cup (3oz) ready-to-eat dried prunes, finely chopped
½ cup (3oz) sultanas or raisins
good pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
4 tbsp apricot jam
pouring cream, to serve
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), Gas mark 4 and lightly butter an ovenproof dish. Beat the eggs, milk and cream together in a large jug. Mix together the lemon rind and juice, vanilla seeds and sugar in a small bowl and then add to the egg mixture, beating lightly to combine.
Spread the slices of bread with the softened butter and cut off the crusts, then cut into triangles. Scatter half of the prunes and sultanas or raisins into the bottom of the buttered dish and arrange a layer of the bread triangles on top. Pour over half of the egg mixture, pressing it down gently, then repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients and sprinkle the nutmeg on top.
Place the dish into a large roasting tin and fill with warm water so that it comes three-quarters of the way up the dish. Carefully place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until just set.
Remove the bread and butter pudding from the water bath to a wire rack. Heat the apricot jam in a small pan and then brush the top of the pudding.
To serve, cut the bread and butter pudding into slices and arrange on plates with the pouring cream.
Granulated Sugar (depending on sweetness of apples)
How to:
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Lightly grease an ovenproof dish about 28cms x 18cms (11″ x 7″).
Cream together the butter or margarine and icing sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the lemon rind.
Sieve flour and baking powder. Add the flour to the batter, alternately with the milk.
Spread half the mixture into prepared dish, layer half the apples over this and top with remaining mixture. Arrange the apple slices on top. Sprinkle with sugar if wished and finally sprinkle over the flaked almonds.
Bake for about 40 minutes until well risen and firm to the touch.
Foodaware 