.@nevenmaguire Rustic Pear and Hazelnut Tarts @BordBia

These tarts are absolutely perfect for a relaxed Sunday lunch. They can be made in the morning and left covered with cling film in the fridge. Pop them into the oven before sitting down to the main course and they will be in about half an hour.

Serves 4

Cooking time:

Preparation time:

Ingredients

  • 5 firm ripe pears
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 heaped tbsp light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 50g skinned hazelnuts, roughly chopped
  • 1 egg, beaten, to glaze
  • Icing sugar, to dust
  • Crème fraîche, to serve
  • Honey, to serve

For the Pastry

  • 225g (8oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • pinch of fine salt
  • 150g (5oz) butter, chilled and diced
  • 3 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten

To Cook

To make the pastry, place the flour in a large bowl with the salt and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, then bring the pastry together with the egg (it may also need 1 tablespoon of cold water if it’s a little dry). Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes (or overnight is fine).

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4). Line 2 large baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.

Peel, core and slice the pears and put them in a bowl. Toss them in the lemon juice, then toss with the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon.

On a lightly floured board, cut the pastry into 4 even-sized pieces. Roll each piece of pastry out to a rough circle about 15cm (6in) in diameter and no more than 5mm (¼in) thick. Carefully transfer to the lined baking sheets. Arrange the pears in the middle of each one and scatter the hazelnuts on top, leaving a 2.5cm (1in) border. Using the sides of the baking paper to help lift the pastry, fold the sides up and over the pears. Brush with the beaten egg and bake for 30–40 minutes, until the tarts are cooked through and golden.

Serving Suggestions

Dust with icing sugar and arrange on plates. Add dollops of crème fraîche and a drizzle of honey to each one to serve.

 

Ballymaloe’s Famous Chocolate Orange Cake recipe

Serves 12

For the Orange Cake:

  • 4 eggs
  • softened butter
  • sugar
  • plain flour
  • 2 oranges
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

For the orange butter icing:

  • 1 orange
  • 110g (4oz, 1/2 cup) icing sugar
  • 55g (2oz, 1/4 cup) softened butter

For the chocolate icing:

  • 170g (6oz) chocolate
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 50g (2oz, 4 tablespoons) softened butter
  • 2 large eggs
Weigh the eggs. Take the same weight in butter, sugar and flour. Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and light in texture. Wash the oranges and add the finely grated rind of 2 and the juice of 1 to the butter mixture. Mix the flour and baking powder and add alternately with the eggs. Beat thoroughly. Bake in a 24cm (91/2in) tin in a moderate oven, 180°C/350°F/gas 4, for 50 minutes approx. Cool the cake and split it in two. Sandwich with the orange butter icing and spread the chocolate icing over the top and sides allowing any excess to run off.
To make the orange butter icing, finely grate the rind of the orange and squeeze out the juice. Beat the icing sugar, butter and orange rind together. Add in enough juice to make the icing a spreading consistency.
To make the chocolate icing, melt the chocolate in the water. Remove from the heat and beat in the butter and then the eggs very thoroughly. Leave to cool and set before icing and filling the cake.

Neven Maguire’s chocolate baked Alaska with chocolate sauce : rte.ie recipes


By Neven Maguire

Celebrity Chef

Watch Neven’s Christmas at Adare on RTÉ One at 8pm on Thursday, 7th and 14th of December.

Ingredients

Serves 6-8

  • 1 x 900ml tub Vanilla Ice Cream
  • 200ml cream, whipped, to serve

Chocolate Sponge

  • 4 eggs
  • 120g caster sugar
  • 90g self-raising flour
  • 30g good quality cocoa powder

Italian Meringue

  • 4 x egg white
  • 225g caster sugar
  • 135g water
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Warm Chocolate Sauce

  • 200ml cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp Coole Swan Irish Cream Liqueur
  • 255g plain chocolate, finely chopped (at least 70% cocoa solids)

Method

To Make the Chocolate Sponge

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4
  2. Line a baking tray (13.6 x 9.5in) with parchment paper
  3. In a large bowl whisk the eggs and caster sugar together with hand mixer
  4. Whisk for 3 minutes on full power until light and fluffy
  5. Sieve in the flour and cocoa powder and gently fold in using a spatula
  6. Transfer the mixture to the baking tray
  7. Bake for 8-10 minutes
  8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely

For the Italian Meringue

  1. Place the caster sugar and water in a saucepan over a medium heat, swirling the pot until the sugar has dissolved.
  2. Once the sugar has dissolved allow to boil.
  3. Meanwhile place the egg whites & vanilla extract in a large mixing bowls and whisk until soft peaks form.
  4. Boil the sugar until it has reached 120°C (use a sugar thermometer to check).
  5. Carefully stream the syrup into the egg white while whisking on high speed.
  6. Keep whisking for around 5 minutes until the meringue is thick, glossy and has completely cooled down.
  7. Keep covered in a bowl or transfer to a piping bag until needed.

For The Warm Chocolate Sauce

  1. Place the cream, vanilla extract and Coole Swan in a pan and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally
  2. Gently add in the chocolate and stir gently until completely melted.
  3. This is ready to serve warm or transfer to a bowl and leave to cool completely, then cover with clingfilm and keep in the fridge until needed
  4. Use warm or cold as required

To Assemble

  1. Line a 2lb loaf tin with a double layer of cling film, ensuring an overhang on each side
  2. Cut the prepared chocolate sponge in 3
  3. Place one third of the sponge in the base of the tin
  4. Using half of the tub of vanilla ice-cream, spread an even layer over the sponge. Use the back of a tablespoon to help
  5. Place another piece of the sponge on top followed by the remaining ice-cream, ensuring to spread it evenly
  6. Add the final piece of sponge on to, gently pressing down
  7. Fold the overhang of cling film over the top
  8. Pace in the freezer to firm up for 3-4 hours minimum or overnight is best

To Serve

  1. Once ready to serve, remove from the freezer, open and turn out onto a long plate/serving plate
  2. Pipe the prepared Italian meringue around the loaf ensuring it is completely covered
  3. At this point the Alaska can be returned to the freezer until needed or alternately to serve straight away, use a blow torch to evenly brown the outside of the meringue all over
  4. Enjoy with warm chocolate sauce and whipped cream

Saffron,Honey and Ricotta ice cream.🌹@HaughtonHoney

 

 

haughton ice cream

This Saffron, Honey and Ricotta ice cream isn’t too sweet – perfect for after a big meal

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.

Keeling’s Irish No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

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.

Catherine’s Citrus Apple Crumble – Odlums porridge oats

What you need:

  • 175g/6oz Odlums Porridge Oats
  • 125g/4oz Odlums Cream Plain Flour
  • 125g/4oz Shamrock Demerara Sugar
  • 125g/4oz Butter or Margarine
  • Pinch of Cinnamon (optional)
  • 450g/1lb Cooking Apples (peeled, cored and sliced)
  • 2-3 tablespoons Sugar, to sweeten
  • Rind & Juice 1 Lemon
  • Rind & Juice 1 Orange

How to:

  1. Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5.
  2. Put the oats, flour, sugar and cinnamon if used, into a bowl.
  3. Rub in the butter or margarine with the tips of your fingers to form a dough.
  4. Place the apples in an oven proof dish. Sprinkle over the sugar to taste.
  5. Pour over the lemon and orange juice and rinds. Sprinkle the crumble on top.
  6. Bake for approx 30 minutes. Serve hot with ice cream, cream or crème fraîche.

http://www.odlums.ie/recipes/citrus-apple-crumble/

Give this classic Italian dessert a twist with a delicate creamy vanilla flavour and a fresh strawberry topping @RTEfood @nevenmaguire

By Neven Maguire

Celebrity Chef

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

  1. 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
  2. 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 .
  3. 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 .
  4. 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 .
  5. 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.

Chocolate Iced Mille-Feuilles from Neven Maguires Irish Food Trails

 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

 

Neven Maguire’s Apple Tart with Custard recipe @bordbia

Apple-Tart-with-Custard

From The Nation’s Favourite Food by Neven Maguire

Ingredients

Pastry

  • 225g plain flour, extra for dusting
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar
  • 100g butter, diced and chilled
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2-3 tbps ice-cold water

Filling

  • 900g Bramley cooking apples
  • 100g caster sugar
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • Good pinch ground cloves/4 whole cloves
  • 1 tbsp milk

Custard

  • 5 egg yolks
  • 3 tbsp caster sugar
  • 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.

 

http://www.bordbia.ie/consumer/recipes/desserts/pages/appletartwithcustard.aspx

Spring Bread & Butter Pudding @KerrygoldUSA

Bread_and_Butter_Pudding__made_with_Kerrygold_Grass-Fed_Irish_Butter

Serves:  4-6

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.

http://kerrygoldusa.com/recipes/bread-butter-pudding