Decorate · 400g white fondant icing · 24 medium marshmallows · 50g Gem dark chocolate, melted
Method · In a large bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt and raising agents. · In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, milk and vanilla until combined. Add to the dry ingredients and mix gently before folding through the chocolate chips. · Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rest for 10 minutes while you preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). · Line a 12-insert muffin tin with paper cases and divide the batter evenly between them. · Bake for 7 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 170°C (150°C fan) and bake for a further 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. · For the buttercream, beat the softened butter, icing sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla together until smooth and fluffy. Pipe a small amount onto each cooled cupcake. · On a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar, roll out the fondant and cut out 12 x 4″ circles. · Stack two marshmallows, one on top of the other, on top of the buttercream and drape a fondant circle over them to create a ghost shape. · Finish with two dots of melted chocolate
Neven’s Ulster Food Tour airs Wednesdays on RTÉ One at 8.30pm.
Ingredients
Serves 4
For The Chicken
· 4 x Quality Assured Cornfed Chicken breasts, skin on
· 150g Chestnut Mushrooms, sliced
· 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
· 2 x Shallots, peeled and finely sliced
· 50ml Madeira Wine
· 75ml White Wine
· 1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
· 1 tbsp fresh thyme leave, chopped
· 200ml Beef Stock
· 120ml Double Cream
· Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For The Crushed Baby Potatoes
· 1 Packet Irish Charlotte Potatoes
· 6 tbsp Olive Oil
· 6 Garlic Cloves, lightly bashed in their skins
· 1 tbsp rosemary sprigs
· Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Method
For The Chicken
· Heat a large heavy based saucepan over a medium heat
· Add the rapeseed oil and butter
· Place the chicken into the heat pot skin side down and season the flesh side with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
· Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until just sealed
· Remove from the pan and set aside
· Using the same pot, add in the shallots, garlic and mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring to combine
· Deglaze with the madeira wine, white wine and red wine vinegar
· Allow to reduce slightly
· Add in the chopped thyme and stir
· Add in the beef stock followed by the double cream and stir well to combine everything
· Return the chicken to the pan and nestle it into the sauce
· Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to a simmer
· Cook for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender
· Finish with chopped parsley
For The Crushed Baby Potatoes
· Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/ Gas mark 6).
· Put the potatoes in a large pan with cold salted water. Bring to the boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain and leave to steam dry for a few minutes.
· Arrange the potatoes in a large shallow baking tin, leaving enough space between each one so they have room to spread once smashed. Using the back or a large spoon or potato masher, push down on each of the potatoes to make them crack open.
· Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes, season with sea salt and black pepper and add the garlic to the tray along with rosemary sprigs.
· Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning once and removing the garlic, until the potatoes are crisp and golden.
· Arrange on a platter and let everyone help themselves
These Apricot Jam Breakfast Muffins can be prepared the night before and cooked to perfection in the morning – http://ow.ly/8e6w30fDtZV
Ingredients
2 large free-range eggs
150ml pot of natural low-fat yoghurt
50ml rapeseed oil
2 tblsp no added sugar apricot jam
1 ripe banana, mashed
4 tblsp clear honey
1 tsp almond extract
200g of wholemeal flour
50g of porridge oats, plus extra for sprinkling
1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda
2 tblsp mixed seeds
extra apricot jam
a handful of flaked almonds, for sprinkling
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas Mark 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with 12 large muffin cases.
In a mixing jug, combine the eggs, yoghurt, rapeseed oil, Apricot Jam, banana, honey and almond extract.
In a large bowl, combine the wholemeal flour, oats, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and mixed seeds.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and combine until you have a smooth batter. Don’t over mix as this will make your muffins tough.
Divide the mix between the muffin cases and place about half a teaspoon of Apricot Jam on the top of each of the muffins. Sprinkle with the extra porridge oats and the flaked almonds.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until risen and golden. Check that they’re cooked by inserting a skewer into the middle of one of the muffins. They’re done if it comes away clean.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. These will keep for 3 days in a sealed container but they taste best on the day of baking.
2 – 4 Thai Birds Eye chillies – depending on your spice tolerance!
50ml fish sauce, plus extra to season
3 cloves garlic
pinch ground turmeric
6 chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
500g cooked white rice
pinch white pepper
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 red onion
Sesame oil, to serve
Handful of coriander leaves
Handful of mint
Method
First, get the chicken stock into a pan. Slice half of the ginger, chilli and lemongrass and add to the pot. Peel the zest off a lime then bring to a boil, and season with the 25ml of the fish sauce. Turn down to a simmer whilst you prepare the rest of the dish.
Finely chop the remaining ginger, chilli and lemongrass and place into a bowl. Grate in the garlic and add the remaining fish sauce. Chop the chicken thighs into inch pieces and add to the bowl along with a pinch of turmeric and mix everything together.
Get a wok over a high heat and add the oil followed by the chicken pieces. Cook, stirring, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
Scoop the aromatics from the broth and discard then add the rice to the broth and warm through for at least 5 minutes.
To finish, slice the red onion finely and season the broth with some white pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice and some extra fish sauce if needed.
Add the rice and broth to your bowls then top with the chicken, followed by the sliced onions. Garnish with extra sliced red chillies, if you can handle them!, and lots of coriander and mint.
Sharon Hearne Smith’s Sesame Seed Porridge Bread from Today with Maura and Dáithí.
Ingredients
This is an unusual bread recipe, based on porridge oats and yoghurt instead of flour and water. It is quick, easy and virtually foolproof to make.
Use any selection of seeds you prefer instead of sesame seeds, or omit them altogether for a plain bread. Alternatively, add other flavours like nuts and dried fruits or sundried tomatoes and basil or a swirl of pesto would be delicious too. This bread stays quite moist and fresh for a few days stored in an airtight container.
Makes: 1 loaf (about 12 slices)
Sunflower oil for greasing
500g tub natural yoghurt
100ml milk
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp sesame seeds + extra for sprinkling
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 x 500ml yoghurt tubs of porridge oats (or 400g)
butter for serving, optional
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C (fan 180C), 400F, Gas Mark 6. Grease a 1Lb loaf tin (approximately 3 x 5 x 7 inch) with parchment paper and grease again.
Scoop the yoghurt into a large bowl. Add the milk, oil, sesame seeds and bicarbonate of soda and mix until well blended.
Fill a clean and dry yoghurt tub with oats and tip them in. Repeat with a second tub of oats. Alternatively, weigh out 400g of oats on a scales.
Mix everything together until well blended.
Spoon into the prepared tin, spreading the top level. Scatter a small handful of sesame seeds on top.
Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean when pierced in the middle.
Remove from the tin and return the loaf to oven, directly on the shelf, for another 5 minutes to dry out the crust.
Remove and leave to cool on a wire rack. Cut into slices and serve spread with a little butter if liked.
Sharon Hearne Smith’s Sesame Seed Porridge Bread from Today with Maura and Dáithí.
Ingredients
This is an unusual bread recipe, based on porridge oats and yoghurt instead of flour and water. It is quick, easy and virtually foolproof to make.
Use any selection of seeds you prefer instead of sesame seeds, or omit them altogether for a plain bread. Alternatively, add other flavours like nuts and dried fruits or sundried tomatoes and basil or a swirl of pesto would be delicious too. This bread stays quite moist and fresh for a few days stored in an airtight container.
Makes: 1 loaf (about 12 slices)
Sunflower oil for greasing
500g tub natural yoghurt
100ml milk
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp sesame seeds + extra for sprinkling
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 x 500ml yoghurt tubs of porridge oats (or 400g)
butter for serving, optional
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C (fan 180C), 400F, Gas Mark 6. Grease a 1Lb loaf tin (approximately 3 x 5 x 7 inch) with parchment paper and grease again.
Scoop the yoghurt into a large bowl. Add the milk, oil, sesame seeds and bicarbonate of soda and mix until well blended.
Fill a clean and dry yoghurt tub with oats and tip them in. Repeat with a second tub of oats. Alternatively, weigh out 400g of oats on a scales.
Mix everything together until well blended.
Spoon into the prepared tin, spreading the top level. Scatter a small handful of sesame seeds on top.
Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean when pierced in the middle.
Remove from the tin and return the loaf to oven, directly on the shelf, for another 5 minutes to dry out the crust.
Remove and leave to cool on a wire rack. Cut into slices and serve spread with a little butter if liked.
