Odlums Christmas Cake Recipe

Christmas Cake

CategoryCakes

Cook Time3 hours

What you need:

  • 225g/8oz Odlums Cream Plain Flour (sieved)
  • 175g/6oz Butter or Margarine
  • 225g/8oz Shamrock Dark Muscovado Sugar
  • 350g packet Shamrock Sultanas
  • 350g packet Shamrock Fruit Mix
  • 100g tub Shamrock Cherries
  • 100g packet Shamrock Chopped Almonds
  • 100g packet Shamrock Ground Almonds
  • 3 large Eggs
  • Rind and Juice of 1 Orange
  • 1 teaspoon Goodall’s Mixed Spice
  • 2 baby bottles of Brandy

How to:

  1. Put butter/margarine, sugar, fruit, rind, juice and one baby bottle of the brandy into a large saucepan.
  2. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, until the butter/margarine has melted.
  3. Turn off heat and leave to cool for approx 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile pre-heat oven to 140Β°C/275Β°F/Gas 1 and line an 8″/20cm round deep cake tin with greaseproof paper.
  5. Stir the eggs, nuts and ground almonds into the fruit mixture and mix well.
  6. Finally, stir in the sieved flour and mixed spice.
  7. Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth it out evenly – the back of a metal spoon dipped in water is handy for this!
  8. Bake for 2Β½-3 hours approx. After 2 hours, cover with paper if cake is browning too quickly. To check the cake is done, insert a skewer into the centre – if it comes out clean, the cake is cooked.
  1. Make holes in top of warm cake and pour over remaining brandy.
  2. Leave cake in tin to cool completely.
  3. When cold, wrap in greaseproof paper and then tinfoil. Store in a cool dry place.

Note:

This mixture can be divided between two 900g/2lb lined loaf tins or two 15cms/6″ round cake tins or a combination of both and will bake in about 1Β½ hours at the same temperature. This is ideal for those who just want a small cake and the second cake would make a very acceptable Christmas present!

Christmas Cake

Happy National Porridge Week! πŸ₯£βœ¨@flahavans

To celebrate, we have some gorgeous recipes from our National Porridge Week ambassador, Eunice Power.

First up is Eunice’s Hot Porridge with Cranberry, Apple & Orange Compote 🍎🍊

Bring a little early festive colour to the breakfast table with a steaming bowl of creamy Flahavan’s porridge topped with cranberry, apple and orange compote. Sweet, tart and gently citrusy, it’s a lovely way to brighten the cooler mornings ahead.

Serves 2

Porridge Ingredients:
β€’ 100g Flahavan’s Rolled Oats
β€’ 300ml Flahavan’s Vitamin Rich Oat Drink
β€’ 150ml water
β€’ 1 crisp apple, coarsely grated
β€’ 40g dried cranberries
β€’ Zest of Β½ orange
β€’ 2–3 tbsp fresh orange juice
β€’ 1–2 tsp honey, to taste
β€’ 1 tsp (5g) butter
β€’ Pinch of salt
β€’ Β½ tsp cinnamon
β€’ Β½ tsp ground ginger
β€’ Pinch of nutmeg
β€’ 2 tbsp chopped walnuts or pecans

Compote:
β€’ 250g apple, peeled, cored and chopped
β€’ 100g frozen cranberries
β€’ Juice of 1 orange (roughly 60–80ml)
β€’ 20–25g sugar (about 1½–2 tbsp)
β€’ 2–3 tbsp water
β€’ Optional: a small pinch of cinnamon

Method
1. To make the compote, add the apple, cranberries, orange juice, 20g sugar and 2 tbsp of water to a small saucepan.
2. Bring gently to a simmer, cover & cook over a low-medium heat for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apple is completely soft & the cranberries have burst.
3. Taste and adjust the sweetness with additional sugar if needed.
4. Remove from the heat, allow to cool for a few minutes, then blitz until smooth using a stick blender. If it’s thicker than you’d like, blitz in an extra tablespoon or two of water or orange juice.
5. Once cooled, refrigerate until needed.
6. To make the porridge, add the rolled oats, oat drink, water, grated apple, dried cranberries, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg & salt to a saucepan.
7. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy.
8. Add the orange zest and juice & cook for another 30–60 seconds.
9. Remove from the heat & stir through the butter and honey until melted.
10. Swirl compote through the hot porridge, sprinkle with chopped walnuts or pecans.

Enjoy!

Alanna Moffitt from Blacklion Co. Cavan started at Neven Maguire’s Macnean House and Restaurant πŸ˜€ @rtetoday

Student chefs from TU Dublin joined Maura and DΓ‘ithΓ­ in the studio.

Ingredients

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Β· 200g butter, room temperature

Β· 185g self-raising flour

Β· 185g dates, roughly chopped

Β· 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda

Β· 185g brown sugar

Β· 30g treacle

Β· 1 tsp nutmeg

Β· 1tsp mixed spice

Β· 2 medium eggs

Β· 1 tsp vanilla extract

Β· Pinch of salt

Butterscotch Sauce

Β· 70g butter

Β· 70g brown sugar

Β· 70g golden syrup

Β· 100ml double cream

Β· Pinch of sea salt

Β· Β½ tsp vanilla extract

Β· A few drops of lemon juice

Student chefs from TU Dublin joined Maura and DΓ‘ithΓ­ in the studio.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180Β°C / 350Β°F / Gas Mark 4. Line a baking tin with parchment paper.

2. Dice the butter and place it in a saucepan over medium heat. Allow it to melt, then continue to cook until it foams and turns a light golden-brown colour. Remove from the heat immediately and set aside to cool.

3. Place the chopped dates in a saucepan with 300ml water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until the dates are soft.

4. Remove from the heat and stir in the bicarbonate of soda (the mixture will foam). Set aside to cool slightly.

5. Transfer the date mixture to a mixing bowl and add the brown sugar, treacle, vanilla extract, nutmeg, mixed spice and cooled brown butter. Mix well.

6. Beat eggs and add to the mixture until fully incorporated.

7. Sieve in the flour and salt, then gently fold until a smooth dropping consistency is achieved.

8. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 35–40 minutes, until risen and firm to the touch.


Butterscotch Sauce

1. Place the butter, brown sugar, and golden syrup in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir and allow to simmer gently.

2. Remove from the heat, add a few drops of lemon juice, then whisk in the double cream.

3. Finish with sea salt and vanilla extract. Serve warm over the pudding.


Chef’s tips:

Β· When making brown butter, don’t use a high heat, as milk solids can burn easily

Β· Brown butter can be used in so many other dishes, such as madeleines and fish dishes, or even vegetables, with its rich nutty caramel flavour.

Β· Best served warm with some vanilla ice-cream.

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Porridge is the best way to start these cold Monday mornings! @flahavans


flahavans
No excuses… healthy and delicious porridge is the perfect way to start these cold Monday mornings! Warm and comforting, this quick and easy recipe takes just minutes to prepare, so whether you have breakfast at home or deskside, make sure it’s as tasty as it is pretty! Add some grated apple, pecan nuts, cinnamon and maple syrup to your morning porridge pot and take a minute to savour just how good it tastes! #BreakfastInspo #FlahavansOats

Serves 1|Takes 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 x Flahavan’s Quick Oats Pot
Whole Milk (as per instructions on pack)
1 Large Red Apple
Cinnamon Powder
Maple Syrup
5-10g Pecan Nuts

Method:

Prepare the porridge as per the instructions on the Flahavan’s Quick Oats pot

Topping:
Cut the apple into thin slices and then into matchsticks.
Prepare your porridge, and add the apple as topping long with a sprinkling of cinnamon and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Chop pecan nuts into thin pieces and sprinkle on top.
21h