Tag: home baking

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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
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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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. To cook, preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F/gas mark 2).
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
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Rory O’Connell – sponge filled with preserved raspberries, wrapped in pillowy marshmallow with a scattering of roses @kerrygoldirl


rorysfood
I will be making this beauty on @rteone this evening at 8 30. It’s a sponge filled with preserved raspberries and all wrapped in a pillowy marshmallow before having roses scattered all over it. It’s a special cake for the special people in your life. @kerrygoldirl @nomos.ie #cake #marshmallows #preserves #eat #delicious #ilovetocook
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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.