Home-made vanilla ice cream in ice bowl decorated with our Irish Native Bluebells… make time for a walk on our woodland paths if you are visiting @Ballymaloe this weekend! 

Photo @JRRyall
Frangipane Topped Mince Pies @nevenmaguire @simplybetter @dunnesstores
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCysdMmstX9/?igsh=OHBvZzNib3RvaHI2

and
#ad | Looking for the perfect mince pie recipe? Try these Frangipane Topped Mince Pies from our brand ambassador @nevenmaguire using our Simply Better handmade mincemeat from @foodsofathenry and our shortcrust pastry from @rollit.pastry
Frangipane Topped Mince Pies
Ingredients (Makes 24)
1 Packet Simply Better All Butter Shortcrust Pastry, thawed
Plain Flour, for dusting
1 Jar Simply Better Mincemeat
Flaked almonds, to garnish
For the Frangipane
150g Butter
150g Caster Sugar
3 Simply Better Free Range Corn Fed Large Eggs
150g Ground Almonds
1 Tbsp. Plain Flour
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
Zest of 1 Lemon
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (375°F/Gas Mark 5). Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface to make a large rectangle, then stamp out 24 x 6cm discs (with a cutter or use a glass) and place in greased muffins tins (of course you can do this in batches).
2. To make the frangipane, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk with an electric whisk for about one minute until you achieve a soft paste.
3. To assemble, add a large teaspoon of mincemeat into each pastry case then top with a tablespoon of the frangipane mixture. Sprinkle over some flaked almonds and transfer to the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or cold with brandy butter or custard.
“Behind every dessert – Is a great Story”!! @ashfordcastle Peanut butter – Kidavoa – Banana – Salted peanut

paula stakelum
@paulapastry
“Behind every dessert – Is a great Story”!! @ashfordcastle
Peanut butter – Kidavoa – Bananna – Salted Peanut #howWeTreadright
Chocolate Pear Pudding – @Nigella_Lawson
Always good when #RecipeOfTheDay is Chocolate Pear Pudding! https://www.nigella.com/recipes/chocolate-pear-pudding …

Lemongrass Coconut Cake by Rachel Allen @Ballymaloe

By Rachel Allen Celebrity Chef
More from
Rachel Allen’s Cake Diaries
A quirky combination. The end result? A scrumptious cake for all to enjoy.
Ingredients
4 stalks of lemongrass, base and tops trimmed, outer leaves removed but reserved for the syrup (see below)
250 g (9oz) caster sugar
4 eggs
200 g (7oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
125 g (41/2 oz) desiccated coconut
125 g (41/2 oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tsp baking powder
greek yoghurt or creme fraiche, to serve
for the syrup
reserved trimmings and outer leaves of the lemongrass (see above)
75 g (3oz) caster sugar
23cm (9in) diameter cake tin with 6cm
Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F/Gas 3). Butter the sides of the cake tin and dust with flour, then line the base with a disc of baking parchment.
Slice the lemongrass stalks quite thinly into rounds about 3mm (1?8in) thick, then place in a food processor with the caster sugar and whiz for 1–2 minutes or until the lemongrass is finely puréed and very aromatic.
Add the eggs, butter and coconut and whiz again until combined, then sift the flour and baking powder together and add to the machine, whizzing very briefly just until the ingredients come together.
Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40–45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. While the cake is cooking, make the syrup.
Roughly chop the lemongrass trimmings, place in a saucepan with the sugar and 75ml (3fl oz) of water and set over a high heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar is dissolved, then bring to the boil and boil for 2 minutes before removing from the heat and leaving to infuse.
When the cake has finished baking, take it out of the oven and let it sit in the tin for 10 minutes. Loosen around the edges using a small, sharp knife and carefully remove the cake from the tin before transferring to a serving plate.
Reheat the syrup, then pierce holes all over the cake with a skewer and pour the hot syrup through a sieve onto the cake, moving the pan and sieve around as you pour so that the syrup covers the top of the cake. Allow the cake to cool down completely.
Serve with a dollop of natural Greek yoghurt or crème fraiche.
Neven Maguire’s chocolate baked Alaska with chocolate sauce : rte.ie recipes

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
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4
- Line a baking tray (13.6 x 9.5in) with parchment paper
- In a large bowl whisk the eggs and caster sugar together with hand mixer
- Whisk for 3 minutes on full power until light and fluffy
- Sieve in the flour and cocoa powder and gently fold in using a spatula
- Transfer the mixture to the baking tray
- Bake for 8-10 minutes
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely
For the Italian Meringue
- Place the caster sugar and water in a saucepan over a medium heat, swirling the pot until the sugar has dissolved.
- Once the sugar has dissolved allow to boil.
- Meanwhile place the egg whites & vanilla extract in a large mixing bowls and whisk until soft peaks form.
- Boil the sugar until it has reached 120°C (use a sugar thermometer to check).
- Carefully stream the syrup into the egg white while whisking on high speed.
- Keep whisking for around 5 minutes until the meringue is thick, glossy and has completely cooled down.
- Keep covered in a bowl or transfer to a piping bag until needed.
For The Warm Chocolate Sauce
- Place the cream, vanilla extract and Coole Swan in a pan and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally
- Gently add in the chocolate and stir gently until completely melted.
- 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
- Use warm or cold as required
To Assemble
- Line a 2lb loaf tin with a double layer of cling film, ensuring an overhang on each side
- Cut the prepared chocolate sponge in 3
- Place one third of the sponge in the base of the tin
- Using half of the tub of vanilla ice-cream, spread an even layer over the sponge. Use the back of a tablespoon to help
- Place another piece of the sponge on top followed by the remaining ice-cream, ensuring to spread it evenly
- Add the final piece of sponge on to, gently pressing down
- Fold the overhang of cling film over the top
- Pace in the freezer to firm up for 3-4 hours minimum or overnight is best
To Serve
- Once ready to serve, remove from the freezer, open and turn out onto a long plate/serving plate
- Pipe the prepared Italian meringue around the loaf ensuring it is completely covered
- 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
- Enjoy with warm chocolate sauce and whipped cream
Apple 🍎 sponge 🧽 & Vanilla Ice Cream with a strawberry & cream 🥤@LoughRynnCastle

Avonmore Raspberry, Cream and Custard Trifles

Ingredients
- 1 x 135g packet rasberry jelly
- 100g raspberries
- 200g Avonmore Fresh Custard
- 180g Madeira cake, cut into small cubes
- 200ml Avonmore Fresh Whipped Cream
To decorate:
- flaked almonds
- Edible gold glitter
Directions
- Make the jelly according to the packet instructions and allow to cool slightly.
- Divide the raspberries between six decorative glasses and pour over the unset jelly until each glass is about one-third of the way full. Allow to cool slightly, then place in the fridge to set completely for 5-6 hours.
- Spoon a layer of custard over the jellies and add a layer of Madeira cake.
- Dollop the Avonmore Freshly Whipped Cream over the custard and smooth with a butter knife.
- Sprinkle with flaked almonds and edible gold glitter and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Auntie Maureen’s Plum Pudding by Neven Maguire @macneanhouse Co.Cavan

Makes 2x 1.2 litre (2 pint) puddings
Nothing beats the flavour of homemade Christmas pudding, but it’s important to get good-quality fruit and it’s best made at least 1 month in advance.
I love plum pudding, hot or cold, with lashings of cream, but the spiked almond custard is even more special. I always look forward to it. A big thank you to Auntie Maureen for this recipe.
Ingredients
- 50g (2oz) plain flour
- 1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 225g (8oz) sultanas
- 175g (6oz) butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
- 175g (6oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
- 175g (6oz) light brown sugar
- 175g (6oz) raisins
- 50g (2oz) currants
- 50g (2oz) candied mixed peel
- 50g (2oz) blanched almonds, hopped
- 1/2 eating apple, peeled, cored and diced
- 1/2 small carrot, grated finely grated rind and juice of
- 1 lemon
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 300ml (1/2 pint) stout
- fresh redcurrant sprigs, to decorate (optional)
- icing sugar, to decorate (optional)
- spiked almond custard, to serve
Method
- Sift together the flour, mixed spice, cloves and nutmeg. Add the sultanas, melted butter, breadcrumbs, sugar, raisins, currants, mixed peel, almonds, apple, carrot and the lemon rind and juice and mix until well combined. Gradually add the beaten eggs, stirring constantly, followed by the stout. Mix everything together thoroughly and cover with a clean tea towel, then leave in a cool place overnight.
- Use the fruit mixture to fill 2 x 1.2 litre (2 pint) greased pudding bowls. Cover with a double thickness of greaseproof paper and tin foil, then tie tightly under the rim with string. Store in a cool, dry place overnight.
- To cook, preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F/gas mark 2).
- Stand each pudding basin in a large cake tin three-quarters full of boiling water, then cook in the oven for 6–8 hours (or you can steam them for 6 hours in the usual way). Cool and re-cover with clean greaseproof paper. Again, store in a cool, dry place.
- On Christmas Day, re-cover with greaseproof paper and foil. Steam for 2–3 hours, until completely cooked through and tender. Decorate with the redcurrant sprigs and a light dusting of icing sugar, if liked.
- To serve, cut the plum pudding into slices and arrange on serving plates. Have a separate jug of the spiked almond custard so that everyone can help themselves.
“Behind every dessert – Is a great Story”!! @ashfordcastle Peanut butter – Kidavoa – Banana – Salted peanut

paula stakelum
@paulapastry
“Behind every dessert – Is a great Story”!! @ashfordcastle
Peanut butter – Kidavoa – Bananna – Salted Peanut #howWeTreadright

