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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
